1 HOUR A DAY, EXERCISE IN SCHOOLS

Not only are today’s children tomorrow’s citizens and leaders, they are also tomorrow’s fitness consumers. We have an obligation to the children and to our industry to see that all kids are introduced to fitness as a positive, fun experience. If we expect to continue to fill our clubs and training sessions, and sell shoes, apparel and equipment we need to introduce alternatives to sedentary activities at a young age. The time to start positive fitness habits shouldn’t wait until a child’s weight or health issues become a problem.
Dear (editor, administrator, principal, senator, congress person, president) choose one or all
Skinny kids need exercise, too!
I’m a (select one: parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, concerned citizen, etc.) and proponent for 1 Hour a Day. I urge you to utilize your influence and resources to assist us in adding one hour a day of fun and functional exercise for every child in every school in the United States. The health of America’s children is poor—so poor that this generation is expected to be the first in our country’s history to experience a shorter life expectancy than their parents. This is unacceptable and will cost our society dearly if left as it is.
While there is currently considerable attention being paid to the obesity crisis in the United States, the fact is that every child needs an hour of exercise every day, whether they are overweight or not. Research and day-to-day experience show us that an hour of exercise a day have countless benefits for our nation’s youth, including improving a child’s academic achievement by up to an impressive 40%. While the U.S. spends billions attempting to improve test scores, an opportunity to improve them for free lies overseen: fitness. The U.S. is also spending hundreds of millions to prevent bullying, but kids who exercise an hour a day have higher self-esteem and are not as susceptible to being bullied or being bullies themselves.
As mentioned, thousands of non-profits and government organizations are attempting to combat childhood obesity—we can address this too at little to no cost with 1 Hour a Day. But, that’s not all: Children who enjoy an hour of exercise a day experience fewer behavioral issues at school and at home, fewer medical issues, lower obesity rates, less stress, lower suicide rates and reduced symptoms of ADHD. They also sleep better, make healthier dietary choices, enjoy sports and play with fewer injuries and will become healthier citizens and more productive members of society in the future than they would without regular fitness throughout their youth. All children can enjoy all of these benefits, and all it takes is one hour a day of exercise in school.
Schools are the perfect place to implement and nurture this lifestyle change; most of the children in the U.S. attend school almost every weekday, teachers and facilities exist to accommodate 1 Hour a Day and physical education instructors have access to the resources needed to assist school staff with program development and execution.
Parents, teachers and concerned citizens need to be educated on the physiological and psychological benefits of daily fitness for our children and work with their schools to provide our children—the next great generation of Americans—one hour a day. That’s all it takes to make a difference.

Sincerely,
(Your name here)


Children who exercise 1 hour a day:
  • Can improve their academic scores up to 40%
  • Disciplinary issues are reduced in the classroom and at home
  • Experience less stress, depression, suicide, ADHD and they sleep better
  • Have higher self esteem, are less susceptible to bullying and are less likely to bully
  • Healthier children make better food choices
  • They will become healthier and more productive members of our society, which will reduce our nation’s health care expense and help the U.S. in a competitive world.
Why exercise in schools?
We support exercise in school because schools offer an existing infrastructure of facilities and personnel. Exercise can be in the gym or on the playground with a PE teacher, or it can be accomplished in the classroom by the children’s regular teachers. No need to hire additional personnel, in fact exercise in the classroom doesn't have to cost a penny! Brain Breaks and other classroom activities are free and recognized methods of introducing exercise to children. Just 1 hour a day of exercise will provide all the benefits children need to have a positive and fun experience preparing them for a lifetime of exercise and health.
Press Release
For immediate release (Date here)
[Your name, company or organization here] Becomes Ambassador for 1 Hour a Day
Program Promotes Daily Fitness Programs for Children in Schools
([Month] [Date], 2015) [Location] – [Your name, company or organization here] is getting behind 1 Hour a Day, an organization promoting the importance of physical activity and health for our nation’s youth. The association is garnering attention from parents, educators and the professional fitness industry alike with a very important message: Skinny kids need exercise, too.
While the focus for children’s health has been on obesity for years, research shows us that all children, regardless of their weight, need an hour of physical exercise every single day. Not only will this simple one hour a day of exercise in school address the ever-present issue of obesity, but it will provide America’s children with the many other important benefits of fitness, including:
  • Up to 40% improvement in academic achievement
  • Decreased behavioral and medical issues, obesity and suicide rates, stress levels, and symptoms of ADHD
  • Improved self-esteem, sleep, dietary choices, athletic performance and interest in fitness
As an ambassador for 1 Hour a Day, [your name, company or organization here] wishes to endorse the reality that just one hour a day of fun and functional exercise will prepare this growing generation to be healthy and productive members of society and lower our nation’s health care expenses, now and in the future.
[Your name, company or organization here] [title/position] [name] is proud to assist these efforts for children’s health and fitness. “As a professional in the fitness industry, I support my industry’s efforts to promote exercise in physical education or in our local classrooms,” says [name]. “1 Hour a Day does not need to cost a penny, and it can be easily accomplished right it the classroom.” 1 Hour a Day founder Lee Spieker explains that, if teachers provide students with “Brain Breaks,” or brief periods of exercise in the classroom between lessons, an hour of highly beneficial fitness adds up quickly and is easy to implement. Not only is it simple and fun for kids of all ages, but it also adds variety to their day and prepares their brain to learn, helping them focus during class.
The importance and benefits of teaching this type of healthy lifestyle at a young age is absolutely essential. “I encourage parents and concerned citizens to ask their schools administrators to implement 1 Hour a Day in every school today,” says [name]. “Just one hour—that’s all it takes to make a difference.”