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Council on Rural Services...
Kids Learning Place
gets Grant for its Outdoor Play Area
Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and
Outdoor Play (HSBS) today announced that Council on Rural Services is
one of 436 recipients of a $5,000 grant to improve the outdoor play
space for infants and toddlers at the Kids Learning Place in
Greenville.
According to Early Childhood Services Coordinator, Kathy Parmenter, “We
appreciate Head Start Body Start for helping us to evaluate Greenville
play spaces and then help us educate our children and families about
the value of physical activity and playing outdoors. This grant
will enable our Greenville center to purchase additional outside play
equipment, fencing and construct an arbor.”
“Kids Learning Place also acknowledges and thanks Nancy Sharp for her
valuable volunteer time and expertise,” said Mark Schlater, Chief
Operating Officer. “She was instrumental in volunteering her time
to assist in writing and researching the information for this grant
submission, without her help this award would not have been possible.”
In addition to the play space improvement, each award-winning Early
Head Start Center will have targeted training, technical assistance and
the expertise of a physical activity consultant as well as access to
online courses, webinars and resource materials.
Ms. Parmenter continued, “HSBS will assist the program in creating
healthy learning spaces, both in and outside the classroom.
Structured and unstructured physical activity leads to the physical,
cognitive, social and emotional development of young children and
reduces obesity. We want our children to learn about good
health!” These spaces encourage movement opportunities for all
children, and within the curriculum the staff plans activities each day
with the children that teach about exercise, nutrition and health.
Research has shown that an opportunity for whole body exercise has long
lasting influence as children’s physical activity tracks throughout
childhood. To learn more about Head Start Body Start, visit
www.headstartbodystart.org Head Start Body Starts purpose is to
increase physical activity, outdoor play and healthy eating among Head
Start and Early Head Start children, families and staff. Funding
for HSBS is provided by the Office of Head Start, Administration for
Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services.
For more information about our programs, check the Web site at
www.councilonruralservices.org or call 937-778-5220. Council on Rural
Services provides education, support, and volunteer services in our
nine county service area through Kids Learning Place™, Head Start,
Early Head Start, Gateway Youth Programs, and HandsOn West Central Ohio.
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