NFL Network Teams Up with Governor O'Malley,
Verizon FiOS TV and Baltimore Ravens to Roll Out 2009 Keep Gym in School Program
NFL Network expands national effort to boost fitness and physical education in schools
Ravens' Brendon Ayanbadejo and Matt Birk help unveil refurbished PE facilities , lead students in fitness tests and football-inspired drills at on-field minicamp
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GLEN BURNIE, MD (September 29, 2009) –NFL Network teamed up with Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Verizon FiOS TV and the Baltimore Ravens today to kick off the Keep Gym in School program in Anne Arundel County public schools and officially inaugurate newly-refurbished Physical Education facilities at Corkran Middle School in Glen Burnie. The Governor and Corkran students, faculty and staff participated in an energetic pep rally emceed by NFL Network Analyst Jamie Dukes, before Ravens Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo and Center Matt Birk led students through fitness tests and football-inspired drills during an on-field minicamp. As part of the league’s NFL PLAY 60 youth health and fitness campaign, Keep Gym in School is NFL Network’s comprehensive national program to boost fitness and physical education in America’s middle schools.
“The health of our children is among our highest priorities, and we all hold a responsibility to address issues like childhood obesity,” said Governor O’Malley. “We’re working hard to reverse the trend here in Maryland and welcome the support of NFL Network through its comprehensive Keep Gym in School program. We’re laying the groundwork now for a bright and healthy future.”
“The numbers can’t be ignored – childhood obesity rates have tripled since 1980. We have to make it a priority now to teach young people how to be healthy and fit. And one of the best places to reach them is in school,” said Jamie Dukes. “That’s why NFL Network is expanding the reach of ‘Keep Gym in School’ to help more kids have access to physical activity in school.”
The $50,000 Keep Gym in School grant funded major improvements to Corkran’s existing sports and fitness facilities, including the outdoor tennis and basketball courts. In addition, the school installed a rock-climbing wall and purchased new fitness and training equipment to expand physical activity options and improve fitness tracking.
Students at every Anne Arundel County middle school, including Corkran, will participate in the NFL Network In-School Fitness Program developed in conjunction with the National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) to measure students’ fitness levels and encourage them to stay active throughout the year. One motivated student who shows the most fitness improvement over the next six months will earn a trip to New York City to attend the Keep Gym in School National Honors event during the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft.
“It’s great to have a chance to spend time with young people and help them learn that being active can be fun. Getting that important lesson across will help more kids grow up into healthy adults,” said Ayanbadejo.
“I’m proud to be part of Keep Gym in School. PE was an important part of my school experience, and it’s rewarding to help make sure other kids have access to quality PE,” said Birk.
Through Keep Gym in School, NFL Network is working on several levels to expand and improve PE:
- Public Service Campaign. Keep Gym in School Public Service Announcements (PSAs) featuring Brendon Ayanbadejo, Matt Birk and other NFL players will run on NFL Network, in NFL games on broadcast partners like Verizon’s FiOS TV.
- National School Adoption Grants. Middle schools throughout the country can compete for ten $1,000 grants that will be awarded in the spring of 2010 to fund physical education program improvements. The public can nominate their local middle school at http://www.keepgyminschool.com.
- School Adoptions & Minicamps. Four deserving middle schools across the country, including Corkran in Glen Burnie, will get $50,000 grants to help refurbish facilities, fund physical education instructors and add or update equipment. NFL Network hosts a pep rally and minicamp at each adopted school with on-air talent and players to motivate students.
- NFL Network In-School Fitness Program. Students from every middle school in the adopted schools’ districts will compete in an In-School Fitness Program to assess student fitness, encourage students to stay active and allow teachers to monitor student progress throughout the year.
- Continuing Support Grants. Middle schools from the four districts that participated in last year’s adoption program will again participate in the In-School Fitness Program, with the most-improved school in each district winning a $2,500 grant to continue providing quality PE.
- Lesson Plans. In partnership with National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), Keep Gym in School developed in-school instructional material to get kids excited about PE. Football-inspired lesson plans and activity guides are available to PE instructors for free at http://www.keepgyminschool.com/educators.html.
Keep Gym in School National Honors at NFL Draft Week 2010. NFL Network will host a national honors event in New York City during NFL Draft Week to recognize teachers and top-performing students from adopted school districts.
“We are so grateful for NFL Network’s investment in Corkran Middle School. We will continue to see the pay-off for years and years to come as more students grow up with an enthusiasm for physical activity and the knowledge that fitness is key to overall health,” said Kevin Maxwell, Superintendent of the Anne Arundel County Public Schools.
Verizon is the only broadband provider to carry NFL Network games both on TV and online, giving subscribers a unique NFL Network game-watching experience. NFL Network Game Extra is available to customers who subscribe to Verizon’s FiOS Internet or High Speed Internet service, with either FiOS TV or DIRECTV through Verizon.
“Verizon has a long-standing tradition of investing in our communities by supporting organizations that make a positive impact in the lives of others,” said William R. Roberts, Verizon’s regional president in Maryland and Washington, D.C. “Through our partnership with NFL Network, we are helping our youth be more active and learn to lead successful and healthy lives.”
About NFL Network
NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive Internet home of NFL Network.
About NFL PLAY 60
Designed to tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations like Kellogg. NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit www.NFLRUSH.com.
About Verizon
Verizon is the only company in the U.S. to bring 100 percent fiber optics straight to the home, delivering America's top-rated broadband with download connections speeds of up to 50 megabits per second, more pure high-definition (HD) TV channels, amazing picture-and-sound quality, and interactive capabilities that cable can't match. FiOS TV offers a broad collection of programming, with more than 500 all-digital channels, including more than 118 HD channels, and more than 16,000 monthly video-on-demand titles. FiOS provides next-generation interactive services including an advanced interactive media guide, news and entertainment Widgets, remote digital video recorder (DVR) management, multi-room DVR, casual games, and more. For the latest news, updates and information about FiOS TV, visit www.verizon.com/newscenter and http://www.verizon.com/athomeblog.
About the Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens, through community outreach and the team’s charitable arm, are dedicated to improving and facilitating the healthy development of youth in Baltimore and throughout the state of Maryland. Recent projects focused on youth and the promotion of physical fitness, play and athletics include the stadium renovations at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (2006) and Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School (2008) and KaBoom! playground builds at Collington Square School (2007) and the Good Samaritan Hospital Child Development Center (2009).
