“With the grant money and additional funding and support from local companies such as Direct Fitness Solutions and Exergame Fitness, the Bulls decided to create 25 EnergizaBulls Fitness Centers in Chicago Public Schools by the 2011-12 school year. The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago Community Schools, a lead collaborator in this initiative, will be the recipient of the first EnergizaBulls Fitness Centers.”
Bulls use $1.475 million grant to create fitness centers in local schools
In Attendance:
- Mayor Richard Daley
- Ron Huberman, Chicago Public Schools CEO
- Derrick Rose, Bulls guard
- Joakim Noah, Bulls center
- Jannero Pargo, Bulls guard
- James Johnson, Bulls forward
- Bob Love, Bulls legend
- Sidney Green, Bulls player development assistant
- Richard H. Malone, President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
- Sergio Rojas, Personal Trainer and Certified Nutritionist; Owner of Execufit Corporate Wellness
The new fitness center will be located at the Morton School of Excellence, a YMCA Community School, on the city’s west side. In 2009, the Bulls charity organization CharitaBulls was awarded approximately $1.475 million from the U.S. Department of Education to help enhance physical education programs within Chicago Public Schools.
With the grant money and additional funding and support from local companies such as Direct Fitness Solutions and Exergame Fitness, the Bulls decided to create 25 EnergizaBulls Fitness Centers in Chicago Public Schools by the 2011-12 school year. The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago Community Schools, a lead collaborator in this initiative, will be the recipient of the first EnergizaBulls Fitness Centers.
The EnergizaBulls Fitness Centers are permanent, sustainable wellness health centers located within the schools building. The goal of the fitness centers is to help children develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to adopt and maintain a physically active and healthy lifestyle. Each fitness center will have Bulls colors, photos and branding throughout the rooms.
To celebrate the opening, Mayor Daley, Ron Huberman, Richard Malone, Sergio Rojas and the players will help the students utilize all their new equipment including elliptical machines, Nintendo Wii’s, stationary bicycles and other top-of-the-line exercise equipment.
Through this collaboration, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago will develop programs that get children moving in a fun and interactive way. Additionally, the YMCA will track student’s daily activity, monitor their progress and help them reach the recommended level of activity.
The Chicago Bulls and the YMCA are committed to help students make healthier lifestyle decisions and address the national childhood obesity epidemic. It was recently reported that Illinois has the fourth highest rate of childhood obesity in the nation.
Five other Chicago Public Schools chosen to receive the fitness centers this year include Ryerson Community School, Lawrence Elementary School, Oglesby Elementary School, Orozco Community Academy and Whistler Elementary School.
In 2009, the Bulls charity organization CharitaBulls applied and was chosen as one of the recipients of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program grants. These grants provide 73 public schools and community-based organizations in 25 states with funds to initiate, expand and improve physical education programs for students in grades K-12.
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