BlueCross Underwrites GoNoodle Physical Activity Breaks for 1,100 Tennessee Elementary Schools
Nashville, TN (PRWEB) January 15, 2015 -- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation (BlueCross) and GoNoodle announced a new partnership today to bring GoNoodle’s in-classroom physical activity breaks to all 480,000 Tennessee elementary students at the 1,100 elementary schools across the state. The Foundation is funding GoNoodle through a three-year grant totaling $3,000,000. Sponsored by BlueCross’ Shape the State™ program, GoNoodle is now available to more than 21,000 Tennessee teachers at no cost through 2017. An online suite of interactive physical activity breaks, or “brain breaks," GoNoodle helps teachers engage and motivate students with 3-5 minute moderate to vigorous exercises they can perform next to their desks.
“We are thrilled to provide GoNoodle, because it’s a proven resource to get kids moving during the school day and positively impact the learning environment,” said Bill Gracey, CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. “It’s critically important that we promote the physical activity of our state’s youth, and we believe schools continue to be the best environment to make a meaningful impact.”
"Regular physical activity is critically important to the healthy development of kids. And, we know healthy kids do better in school,” said Scott McQuigg, CEO and co-founder of GoNoodle. “Thanks to the generous sponsorship of BlueCross, it’s great to see GoNoodle help make Tennessee classrooms active spaces where kids can earn important minutes of physical activity while also enhancing learning."
Research shows that short bursts of physical activity have positive health benefits and also lead to improved student performance. However, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control, only one-quarter of youth meet the current recommendation of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. By being more active in the classroom, Tennessee elementary students will improve their overall health while also developing faster cognitive processing, increasing their focus and improving their academic performance.
Tennessee teachers will now have access to dozens of online physical activity breaks, including exclusive GoNoodle breaks that bring movement and core-subjects together to develop fluency in grade-specific math and ELA topics. These short “brain breaks” incorporate kinesthetic and active learning principles by closely tying movement with core content. Both energizing and calming physical activity breaks are available to help teachers channel kids’ energy for good while incorporating math, spelling and vocabulary. To use GoNoodle, teachers need to have a computer with an Internet connection and a shared screen such as a projector or interactive white board. Tennessee teachers can access GoNoodle for free by signing up at http://www.gonoodle.com.
About GoNoodle
GoNoodle is an online resource for elementary teachers to improve student engagement and youth health through physical activity breaks or "brain breaks." Helping to increase energy and focus while improving classroom behavior, GoNoodle's activities can be played on an interactive whiteboard, projector or computer screen. Since its launch in August 2013, over 4 million kids have played GoNoodle physical activity breaks. Teachers can sign up for free at gonoodle.com.
About BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, Inc.
The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation, Inc. (THF) was established in December 2003 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation organized to promote the philanthropic mission of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. THF awards grants focused on high-impact initiatives across the state, which promote healthy lifestyle choices and help control health care costs for all Tennessee residents. Working with civic and economic partners, THF is dedicated to the support of research, innovative programs and creative approaches to improve the health and quality of life of Tennesseans for generations to come.
About BlueCross®
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s mission is to provide peace of mind. Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based health care company is focused on serving more than 3 million members in Tennessee and across the country. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association (BCBSA). BCBSA is an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. For more information, visit the company's website at bcbst.com.
Media Contacts:
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee
Gary Tanner, 423-535-8143
Lexington Public Relations for GoNoodle
Suki Mulberg Altamirano, 615-649-4000
Reagan Brown, GoNoodle, http://www.gonoodle.com, +1 615-800-4227, [email protected]
Share this article