Making Fitness Fun

Overview:

Youth Fitness Coalition (YFC) became incorporated in 1992 as a New Jersey based 501-C-3 non-profit educational organization. The YFC's Project ACES program (All Children Exercise Simultaneously), underscores the need for daily, quality physical education in our schools. According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: "It is the largest event of it's kind ever conducted". Think the 'Earth Day' of fitness meets the 'Exercising Hands Across America'. Since 1989, millions of kids, parents, and teachers around the world have participated. Welcome to the "World's Largest Exercise Class".

Mission:

Physical Fitness is preventative medicine. Recent Surgeon General reports have indicated the potentially avoidable health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Exercise can lower the chances of coronary heart disease and stroke, which include high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Project ACES activities are non-competitive, motivational, educational and fun. They combat obesity and physical inactivity and encourage children to make healthy lifestyle choices. Current research indicates the positive role physical activity plays not only in prevention, but also treatment of diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Project ACES MAKES FITNESS FUN and IT WORKS! We use only age appropriate, medically sound information at the core of our programs.

Project ACES Day:

On the national calendar, May is Physical Fitness and Sports Month. The first Wednesday in May, at 10:00 AM local time, has been Project ACES Day, when millions of children, parents and teachers all over the world exercise simultaneously in a symbolic gesture of fitness and unity. Many sites are developing Project ACES Clubs to continue daily weekly, or monthly "participation assemblies" promoting physical activities, proper nutrition, stress management and other lifestyle related themes yearlong. State Coordinators are beginning to 'grow' in several states as well.

When we first began, we had no idea that it would reach the magnitude and success of today. The program has received praise by Presidents of the United States, Governors, Senators, and celebrities from sports and show business.

Year after year, Project ACES reaches millions of participants around the world, including all 50 United States of America and at least 49 other countries. Praise and support have also come from dozens of organizations in and out of the fitness industry such as The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which is a cooperating partner of the non-profit Youth Fitness Coalition, Inc.

Accomplishments:

* Via web site growth, exposure, and usage. Project ACES Clubs and State Coordinators are beginning to take form. In May 2003, the State of Michigan alone registered nearly 500,000 ACES participants. Organized with the Michigan Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, they received local funding and did a companion program on Diabetes Prevention and Treatment. Other states such as New Jersey, Maine, and New Mexico are following suit. The high profile, high visibility, media friendly Project ACES Participation Assemblies garner tremendous attention and support in Newspapers, Radio and on TV.

* In 1992, "Ripley's Believe It or Not" officially recognized Project ACES as "The World's Largest Exercise Class". Since exercise only works when you do it, there are now Project ACES Clubs that encourage schools and sites to do on-going Project ACES Participation Assemblies, daily, weekly, or monthly. This can be a stepping stone to help fill the void, currently lacking in quality Physical Education classes and after school programs across the country.

* Reorganization of the non-profit Youth Fitness Coalition, Inc. from a strictly volunteer organization to a more formal business orientation.

Objectives:

1. Develop and maintain Project ACES database of sites and participants. Since 1989, year after year, Project ACES has touched millions of lives. The program has grown tremendously and needs steering and coordination via the national headquarters. This will also enable tracking the continued growth of Project ACES Clubs and State Coordinators.

2. We would like to partner with other professionals and organizations. By data basing Project ACES participants, this will lay the groundwork for preventative medical longitudinal research studies on children's biomarkers as they mature from Kindergarten through 12th grade. A companion film documentary is also being developed, as are a series of PSA's-Public Service Announcements and books on children's fitness.

3. Continue our on-going fund raising efforts and move the Youth Fitness Coalition forward as a business that does good helping children grow into healthy productive adults. This could help contribute to our nation's productive workforce and help contain out of control health care costs related to preventable lifestyle related illnesses. By sustained funding, we may continue to develop and mail classroom educational materials/curricula to US kids and teachers across the country and around the world. Fulfillment of merchandise orders such as certificate, tee shirt, water bottle, etc. could be ongoing as well.

4. Expand the Project ACES brand into other mediums such as a children's television show, on-going newsletter, exercise/healthy lifestyle videos, interactive teaching CD, and other children's health/fitness/lifestyle programs, exercise equipment signature line, and active-wear clothing.

5. Explore the feasibility of a ACES physical plant to include a human performance lab, health club/wellness area, swimming pool, physical therapy, spa, classroom, and cafeteria components.

Where do we go from here?

It is truly amazing what happens when a good idea meets a handful of motivated people. Project ACES enduring growth is a testament to this joining. Project ACES is a local phenomenon that snowballs into a global event involving millions of participants year after year. We have media scrapbooks full of stories and accolades that have come in from all over the world.

Our major limitation has been one of continued financing. With the growth of the Internet, the recent Surgeon General reports on Obesity and Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle, the Youth Fitness Coalition/Project ACES is now poised to take a leadership role in children's health and fitness now and into the 21st century.

In-kind donations or financial contributions large or small will be acknowledged. Funding will be used to sustain on-going programs, develop new programs, and offset operation expenses. We welcome your interest and will answer any questions you may have.