Field Trip Factory

Healthy Kids Challenge Teams up with Field Trip Factory

Chicago, IL. – February, 2008 – Healthy Kids Challenge and Field Trip Factory recently formed a partnership that offers robust, relevant and health-focused programs for children in schools, extracurricular programs and community-based groups across the country.

“This partnership will strengthen our connection with communities,” says Susan Singer, founder of Field Trip Factory (FTF). “Together, we can influence children’s healthy decisions and really have an impact that lasts a lifetime.” Vickie James, RD, LD, founder and director of Healthy Kids Challenge (HKC) adds, “This collaboration truly raises the bar in guiding communities to make healthy living a habit for kids and their families.”

Learning that Works
Since 2001, FTF has been offering hands-on learning programs for kids that turn communities into classrooms. These free field trips support basic classroom curriculum and important life skills while engaging and entertaining at age-appropriate levels. Trips focus on topics of health and wellness, animal welfare, auto safety, sustainability and the environment, literacy and more. “It’s been proven that applying learning in real-life situations increases retention as much as 85% and has direct impact on attitudes and behavior,” explains Singer.

Healthy Kids Challenge (HKC) is led by a team of registered, licensed dietitians who have dedicated their careers to creating and implementing community programs which highlight wellness through sound eating habits. “We’ve always looked at current-day practices and used those to address local wellness issues in schools and community-based groups,” says Vickie L. James, RD, LD, Healthy Kids Challenge director. “Now, in working with Field Trip Factory, we’ll provide increased opportunities for meeting the health needs of children.”

Combining HKC’s successful multilevel approach of assistance to schools, programs and communities with FTF’s expertise in experience-based education and engaging activities will result in more opportunities for kids in any community to learn about healthy choices. Specifically, this partnership can provide experiences that motivate and guide children toward integrating wise eating habits and physical activity into their daily lives. “Together, we’ll offer programs built on community resources that stress how good eating and exercise should be part of your lifestyle,” says Singer. “We’re working together to fight the negative trends. Children who enjoy a healthy lifestyle improve their quality of life and reduce risks of chronic disease right now as well as later in life.” With childhood obesity rates skyrocketing, it’s crucial to help today’s youth learn to lead healthier lives, regardless of whether they are themselves.

KidLinks™ Welcome
What is a KidLink™? These are adults who have the opportunity to be a role model and influence the choices children make about eating and staying active. A KidLink™ might be a parent, teacher, school staff member, coach, club or troop leader, or a community or faith-based youth leader. “Our focus is on any adult influencers of children that can help them make healthy decisions about eating and physical activity,” says James. FTF and HKC assist KidLinks™ with educational materials, support and guidance to help them share advice with the children they influence, as well as for their own personal health and wellness. “Working through KidLinks™ has several benefits,” Singer points out. “Together we will be able to influence healthy decisions in the community as a whole and strengthen the messages of good health that children receive.”

Do-It-Yourself Programs
Teachers and other KidLinks™ will find many opportunities to combine the educational field trips offered by FTF with the pre- and post-trip materials provided by HKC. “We want to let people know about the quality resources available,” says James. “The best way to find out what we offer, and what Field Trip Factory offers, is to review the Web sites and see what addresses your specific needs.” Information on each organization and the programs they offer, including how to get started, is available online. For FTF, visit www.fieldtripfactory.com, and for HKC, visit www.healthykidschallenge.org .