It is estimated that nearly nine million American children and youth have a disability that requires special services. Healthy People 2020 and the CDC report that notable disparities in health and healthcare exist within this population. These children and youth are at greater risk than their able-bodied peers to develop poor health, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and muscular-skeletal limitations because they are not given equitable access to opportunities to be physically active on a regular basis.

ICDI is a mentoring program that seeks to facilitate and encourage opportunities for children and youth across the nation to be physically active and receive the PALA+ Award for their efforts. Upon setting a weekly goal of maintaining 60 minutes of activity (depending of physical ability) five days a week for an eight week period, ICDI participants earn the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA+) which includes a certificate signed by the President of the United States.

Interested in joining the program?  Contact Barbara Meleney at blmeleney1@gmail.com

Program Manual

PALA log

Student Promotional Video

Mentor Promotional Video

One of Active Schools’ current projects is to develop a long-term campaign to increase the number of physical education teachers who serve as their school’s physical activity leader (PAL) by providing them with the resources they need for this role and recognizing and appreciating their many efforts. To get baseline data and inform development of the campaign, the project team created a survey of Physical Education Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Serving as a School Physical Activity Leader (PAL).

Active Schools invites practicing K-12 physical education teachers to complete this 13 minute, anonymous survey of Physical Education Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Serving as a School Physical Activity Leader (PAL) by March 21: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VT7357J

Your participation will contribute to a broad representation of PE teachers.