Local TV station's online version of the story they broadcast earlier that day.

1. http://www.king5.com/health/children/stories//NW_100408HEB_jump_up_KS.decefd64.html#
New program in Seattle schools aims to combat obesity
04:15 PM PDT on Saturday, October 4, 2008
By JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News
SEATTLE - Kindergarten kids in Seattle public
schools will be bringing home jump ropes in the
next couple of weeks.
It’s part of a new campaign to get kids moving
toward fitness at school and at home. Seattle’s
Dearborn Park Elementary was the kick off site for
the new campaign, called JumpUp.
Familiar mascots, the school principal and even
superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson got in on Video: Seattle students 'JumpUp'
the act.
All kindergartners received jump ropes to take Odessa Brown children's pediatrician Dr. Lenna Liu
home. They’re supplied through Seattle Children's says nutrition education in the new P.E. curriculum
in partnership with a local nonprofit organization will be key to kids’ health.
called Treeswing. The aim is to combat childhood
obesity in a simple way. "We are seeing what used to be adult diseases in
children who are developing obesity early in their
"It’s something every kid can do,” said spokes- life,” she said. “Diseases such as Type II diabetes,
person Tracy Bennett. “It doesn't take special high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol.”
equipment. You don't have to drive somewhere.
You can do it by yourself. You can do it with All things these kids will hopefully not face,
friends.” because they've set their sights on building skills.
The students were encouraged to set personal The Treeswing organization helped get the new P.E.
jumping goals, with the promise of a certificate for curriculum going. You should see it in all the
their achievement. Seattle public schools by next fall.
Personal goal-setting is a tool being used in the new Kindergarten kids in
P.E. curriculum introduced this year at 10 Seattle Seattle public schools
schools. will be bringing home
"We still do the basketball and the soccer because jump ropes in the next
that stuff's fun and it's important for the kids to couple of weeks as part
of a new program
learn, and we work on team sports,” said Ed Adams,
called JumpUp.
Dearborn Park P.E. teacher. “But we do a lot of Related Content
individual sports with it, where they're not compet- JumpUp
ing with other people. They’re just trying to achieve Learn more about childhood obesity
and just trying to make themselves better."