Humana and the Humana Foundation have presented a $159,000 grant check from the Humana Foundation to CATCH Global Foundation supporting healthy lifestyle, nutrition and fitness programs in Jefferson Parish Schools.
Two hundred Bridgedale Elementary students attended the Sept. 25 presentation in Metairie, Louisiana, along with Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent Isaac Joseph, members of the Jefferson Parish School board, and other community leaders.
Jefferson Parish Schools were celebrating the success of Phase 1 of the “New Orleans CATCH Coordinated School Health Initiative,” which has changed the way the school district approaches student fitness and overall health. In Phase 2, the initiative will be expanded to 16 additional elementary schools, thanks to the $159,000 grant.
The eight Phase 1 schools showed a 56 percent increase in time spent being physically active during P.E. class as well as a 23 percent boost in the number of days per week kids reported being moderately to vigorously physically active. The CATCH Program also successfully moved the needle in students’ understanding of the connection between their diet and overall health, which is underscored by a 13 percent increase in self-reported water consumption.
