Texans Game Day Newsletter 9 Dec 17th Houston_Digital | Page 37
PLAY 60
In October 2007, the NFL launched NFL PLAY 60,
a national youth health and fi tness campaign
focused on increasing the wellness of young fans
by encouraging them to be active for at least 60
minutes a day.
Designed to tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY
60 brings together the NFL’s long-standing
commitment to health and fi tness with an
impressive roster of partner organizations.
In addition to national outreach and online
programs, NFL PLAY 60 is implemented at the
grassroots level through NFL’s in-school, after-
school and team-based programs. The NFL PLAY
60 initiative is prominent during the NFL’s key
calendar events, including Super Bowl, Pro Bowl,
Draft, Kickoff and Thanksgiving and is supported
by many NFL players and coaches year around. To
date, the NFL has dedicated over $200 million to
youth health and wellness through NFL PLAY 60.
The Jaguars Foundation, Wolfson Children’s
Hospital and the American Heart Association
First Coast are again partnering with area public
schools to offer the Play 60 Challenge program in
the fall semester of the 2017 school year to help
6th grade students in school with better physical
fi tness, good nutrition, and health awareness.
This program is offered to 50 public schools
throughout Duval, Clay, Baker, Nassau, St. Johns,
Columbia, Glynn and Camden counties.
Sixth grade is known to be a challenging
transition for many students as they negotiate
a new learning environment and increased
expectations for self-direction and responsibility.
National research has shown that increased
physical activity and healthy eating habits
contribute to students doing better in school.
The PLAY 60 Challenge program targets these
issues and encourages the 6th grade students
to set personal goals and take responsibility for
their actions.