Shippensburg Area Middle School Receives Grant Award for Health & Wellness Initiative ‘Active Body/Active Mind’

Shippensburg, PA — The Greyhound Foundation is excited to announce that the Shippensburg Area Middle School (SAMS) has been awarded a Live Healthy School grant from Capital Blue Cross to enhance recreation time with new play equipment for our middle school students.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is a crucial and necessary component of a child’s development, and, as such, it should not be withheld for punitive or academic reasons.  (Pediatrics 2013).  With all the evidence to support the importance of physical activity for all children, SAMS is endeavoring to create an Active Body / Active Mind Initiative.

Our initiative will increase physical activity into our middle schoolers' day apart from the 2-3 day per week mandatory gym classes. The 2–3-day schedule is NOT enough for our kids. For added stress relief and FUN, an additional 15-minutes of activity every day is what we support.

“Intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong.” Studies have shown that healthy students get better grades, attend school more, and often behave better in class.  SAMS initiative to increase movement activities will help students develop the knowledge and skills to be healthy and active for a lifetime.

"Thanks to this grant, our students will have more opportunities to engage in fun, active play, helping to boost their fitness, teamwork, and overall well-being." – Jeremy Barnes, Principal

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Capital Blue Cross for their generous support in making this important addition to our school possible.

For more information or to learn more about the project, please contact Stephanie Barnhart, SAMS Assistant Principal.

-Susan Fink for The Greyhound Foundation