Connecting the AMA Youth Run Club and Comprehensive School Health
April 10, 2015
Research shows a positive relationship between physical activity and improved academic performance in students. When schools create a healthy environment that supports physical activity, healthy eating and positive social environments it is amazing how students within that environment flourish and feel a sense of success.
The AMA Youth Run Club supports physical activity, brings together students from different grade levels, creates a safe environment, provides leadership opportunities and addresses the four pillars of Comprehensive School Health (CSH).
The AMA Youth Run Club provides plenty of free and fun resources to schools who register, including the Coach’s Handbook. The handbook contains some great ideas that can help support Physical Education and Health and Life Skills curricular outcomes, and help you create a safe, caring, welcoming and respectful environment at your school. Here are a few ideas:
- Encourage your older students to lead the run club once a week, to build their leadership skills
- Use the “Running Games” (pg. 40) or “Circuit Training” (pg. 28) sections of the Coach’s Handbook as inspiration for daily physical activities, active assemblies or your Physical Education class
- Host a school-wide fun run, organized and led by your AMA Youth Run Club participants.
A healthy school community embeds a culture of wellness for the entire school community using a CSH approach to create an inclusive, safe, welcoming, respected and holistic environment, and the AMA Youth Run Club is one way to help you accomplish this!
The AMA Youth Run Club:
- Provides tangible resources that support physical activity, healthy eating and positive social environments
- Helps students develop the skills to be physically and emotionally healthy for life
- Improve students’ abilities to take action for their own personal growth and well-being
- Supports students in generating change within their school
- Supports the 21st century competencies outlined in the Ministerial Order on Student Learning.
