Chelsea Park receives grant for playground equipment

The promise of being able to go outside and play is guaranteed to get kids excited, even more so when they have something new to play with. For the students at Chelsea Park Elementary School, this “something new” comes in the form of new playground equipment and various outdoor activities that will encourage them to play and get active.

“We recognize the impact of physical activity and good nutrition on our students’ health and learning, as well as the power of parents to help implement successful school programs,” said Jennifer Galloway, principal of Chelsea Park Elementary. “We are excited to engage parents and create an even healthier school environment with the funding and resources from Action for Healthy Kids and ALDI.”

The new additions to the playground will be made possible through a $1,000 grant from Parents for Healthy Kids through their Action for Healthy Kids program, in addition to funding provided by ALDI grocery stores. Action for Healthy Kids is a nationwide effort dedicated to “supporting school-based healthy eating and physical activity improvements that increase academic success.” Since 2011, ALDI has worked with Action for Healthy Kids, originally by providing assistance to schools in Chicago to help create a healthier environment for students.

Alabama’s Action for Healthy Kids chapter works with schools and their districts, along with state and local partners, to promote nutrition and physical activity initiatives around the state. According to their website, Action for Healthy Kids’ mission is “to ensure every kid is healthy, active and ready to learn.” 

During the 2016-17 school year, ALDI, Action for Healthy Kids and the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) expanded their vision to help fund parent-led wellness programs, giving out a total of 25 grants to schools in California, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. For the 2018-19 school year, Chelsea Park is one of 150 schools to receive the grant and will also receive assistance from the Action for Healthy Kids program to implement their new physical fitness activities and programs. 

Per a press release distributed by the school, playing promotes brain development and improves academic performance for all students. Not only will the grant give students more access to physical activity and healthy food options in school, it will also help improve students’ knowledge and behaviors around healthy choices and engage parents to support the effort.

According to southern regional manager for Action for Healthy Kids Grace Perry, Chelsea Park received the grant due to “their proposed physical activity and nutrition initiatives.”

“They believe that this project will educate students on skills that are not normally taught as a part of elementary school curriculums. These skills, however, will be invaluable to the future of the participating students. This project will lead to a stronger tie between the school, parents and the community,” Perry said. “It is also their hope that this project will create future community leaders in the students. If [students] see today how their community loves and supports them, they are more likely to stay in the community as adults and will become more vested in the quality of the community and school as a whole.”