Perspectives High School Students ACCESS Game Day
Several Perspectives-Calumet female high schools students participate in Girls in the Game's Game Day and give thanks to their sponsor of the day, Access Community Health Network.
Ernest Sanders
‘Love who you are’ can be described as the perfect metaphorical statement for Girls in the Game’s Game Day at Perspectives Charter Schools-Calumet Campus. With more than a half dozen staff members on site and the volunteer services of a cardio dance instructor from Bally Total Fitness, Girls in the Game was able to engage 80 female sophomore students in a healthy relationship forum and activities as dance, tennis, and yoga.
Students were taught the fundamentals of each sport which include simple exercises as stretching. Each had an opportunity to demonstrate the skill sets taught, while highlighting the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. In the healthy relationship forum, students were asked questions relating to their choices of best friends and the importance of maintaining such healthy relationships.
Perspectives female sophomore students dance to the lead of a cardio dance instructor from Bally Total Fitness.
Ernest Sanders
According to Girls in the Game Development Director, Meghan Morgan, “Game Day is a 3 hour health festival in which our team is greatly interested in introducing female youth to health and fitness and leadership development. We are really excited to be part of such a great school here at Perspectives.”
Game day would have not been possible without the direct support of Access Community Health Network. ACCESS provided financial support enabling Girls in the Game to host Game Day at Perspectives.
When asked about the importance of ACCESS’ participation, Communications Specialist Kristy Maiers said, “ACCESS is committed to its school-based centers and is excited about expanding its partnerships with other organizations that work closely with schools to support our youth and their overall health and well-being.”
Throughout the day, students were provided with donated refreshments as Gatorade and given ACCESS cinch sacks and NBA posters.
Yoga was offered as part of Game Day at Perspectives-Calumet for female high schoolers.
Ernest Sanders
First supported by a middle school initiative of Atlantic Philanthropies’called Elev8, ACCESS was chosen to be direct partners with the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporationand Perspectives Middle School to better integrate academics, health care, and social services. As part of the Elev8 objectives, a health center, ACCESS at Perspectives-Calumet, is under construction inside the middle school and due to open in April 2009.
Elev8 (formerly known as Integrated Services in Schools (ISS), is designed to ensure that middle school students succeed in school and their communities by providing them with multiple supports, including: comprehensive on-site school-based health services; before and after-school, and summer learning opportunities; and effective mentoring by caring adults. In addition, the initiative will ensure that middle school students and their families benefit from available public programs, including tax credits and health care coverage.
For more information about Girls in the Game or to have Game Day in your community, please call 312.633.GAME (4263) or visit their website at www.girlsinthegame.org.