Early in May, I had the pleasure of presenting as part of a panel highlighting the achievements of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) State and Community Tobacco Control (SCTC) research initiative. The five-year initiative provides states and communities with the emerging science needed to put research findings into policy and practice right away.

The staff at NCI’s Tobacco Control Branch are to be commended for designing a research initiative that was innovative, relevant, and fostered both research to practice, and practice to research – which was the focus of my presentation. So often we hear about important research findings that are never disseminated or used in practice, but the SCTC initiative was designed to bridge that gap by pairing up research scientists with public health practitioners, right from the start. 

At the Board of Directors meeting in May, grants totaling $138,125 were awarded to six cities and five school districts as part of the TSET Healthy Community and Healthy Schools Incentive Grant programs.

TSET incentive grants are available to communities and schools that have received certification through the Certified Healthy Oklahoma program, which is a partnership between the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals, the Oklahoma Turning Point Council, the State Chamber and the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

TSET’s incentive grants amounts are based on population and enrollment and the types of strategies implemented. Communities and schools are able to determine how the incentive funds will be used to promote health in their communities. Grant funds are frequently used to leverage other funds to projects that advance health.

To find out which school districts and communities were awarded, click here. 

In May, two Healthy Community Incentive Grant and two Healthy Schools Incentive Grant recipients were honored for their achievement for previously awarded grants.

• The City of Idabel was awarded $37,000 at the gold level and has utilized the funds for a basketball court, volleyball court and playground equipment at the new city park.  This equipment benefits any age and encourages citizens to a higher level of fitness at no cost to them. This is the second incentive grant for Idabel, the first grant was used for a design architect to create a plan for the park expansion and some playground equipment.
  
  
• The City of Weatherford was awarded $45,000 at the Silver and Gold levels and has utilized the funds for an outdoor fitness system. The fitness system has been installed at Radar Park along the 2-mile walking trail. This equipment benefits any age and encourages citizens to participate in physical activity.This is the second incentive grant received by the city.  In 2013, the TSET Board of Directors awarded a $5,000 grant. Those funds were used to connect the existing 1-mile walk/running Sand Plum trail to the fishing pond road, giving walkers a 2-mile route.

• Battiest Public Schools were presented with a $3,000 "big check" and will use the funds to purchase equipment for increasing physical fitness and will locate the equipment in the district weight room.
• Boswell Public Schools will be using their $3,000 incentive grant award to purchase Automatic External Defibrillators (AED’s) to provide emergency care in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.

Gov. Mary Fallin joined members of the Health Cabinet in the 5th annual Walk for Wellness to promote healthy choices for state employees. May was Oklahoma Employee Health and Fitness Month. Fallin pointed out that healthy employees take less sick days, are more productive and generally happier. For employers, this means more efficiency, more profitability and a better work environment, which could attract new employees and even more business. Shape Your Future  partnered with Fallin and the Health Cabinet to encourage Oklahomans to improve their health by eating better, moving more and being tobacco free. 

A grant to the Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation is promoting recreation and physical activity among Oklahomans. Oklahoma’s rate of obesity is one of the highest in the country and TSET funds grants and programs to prevent and reduce obesity by promoting opportunities for physical activity and improved nutrition.

To date, the TSET grant has helped facilitate visits to 44 physical education classes around the state, 7 community events, 11 after school rowing clubs, and 8 youth rowing leagues. Many of these activities use rowing machines and can be done at schools statewide. Approximately 15,300 students have been taught about physical activity through TSET’s grant to the Boathouse Foundation.

In addition, through a partnership with the city of Oklahoma City, the Ann Lacy Foundation and TSET, the Boathouse Foundation has opened Riversport Adventures at Lake Overholser.  This park includes equipment for on-the-water rowing and rowing clubs and indoor fitness areas that will be available for the underprivileged youth. 

The RIVERSPORT Rapids is also open at the Boathouse District along the Oklahoma River. This state-of-the-art facility is great for both family fun and elite athlete training. Whitewater rafting and kayaking is a great way for everyone in the family to get some physical activity in. Before heading to the Rapids, take the virtual tour here and learn more about this exciting new addition to OKC. 

• Fit to Learn Summit on June 7th in Tulsa, OK
  
  
• Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration on June 8th and 9th in Norman, OK
  
  
• Oklahoma State School Board Association on August 26th and 27th in Oklahoma City, OK
  
  
• Turning Point Conference on August 26th and 27th in Edmond, OK
  
  
• Oklahoma Municipal League on September 13th-15th in Oklahoma City, OK
  
  
• Oklahoma Association for Health Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (OAPHERD) Convention on October 3rd and 4th in Edmond, OK