Palmetto Health expands sponsorship of GoNoodle Program into Sumter County
March 2, 2016
Program promotes healthy lifestyles among students including activity breaks
As part of an ongoing community outreach to combat childhood obesity, Palmetto Health has expanded its sponsorship of GoNoodle into Sumter County. Palmetto Health invested in GoNoodle in 2013 and expanded it into Sumter County in 2016 along with the addition of premium content features. GoNoodle is an interactive resource used to increase students’ physical activity and improve academic performance through activity breaks. Helping to increase energy and focus while improving classroom behavior, activities can be played on an interactive whiteboard, projector or computer screen.
“I’m so excited about the opportunity we have to partner with GoNoodle,” said Michelle Logan-Owens, Chief Operating Officer, Palmetto Health Tuomey. “Our children’s health and well-being are so important to our community. GoNoodle is an excellent way to bring together education, fun and physical activity in the classroom and homes.”
Palmetto Health and Tuomey will partner with Kingsbury Elementary Monday, March 7, to celebrate the success of GoNoodle and demonstrate the program.
“Together with Palmetto Health, we have kids moving during school like never before,” said Scott McQuigg, CEO and co-founder of GoNoodle. “This expansion demonstrates Palmetto Health’s collaborative spirit in partnering with schools and teachers to support the development of the whole child.”
Palmetto Health was the first organization to bring GoNoodle to students in South Carolina. Vince Ford, Chief Community Health Services Officer, Palmetto Health said, “We have seen the success that GoNoodle has had in Richland County. Research shows that children who start off healthy are more likely to remain healthy. We are proud to be able to expand into Sumter County. This is another example of how Palmetto Health continues its commitment to provide health care services to the community.”
Teachers who already are using GoNoodle report that their students improve their concentration and focus throughout the day when GoNoodle’s activity breaks are used.
“My kindergarten class absolutely loves GoNoodle,” said Elizabeth Keefe, a kindergarten teacher at Pocalla Springs Elementary School in Sumter. “My students beg to go on the virtual field trips, and the new games on GoNoodle Plus give us an opportunity to review sight words and math skills while getting our wiggles out at the same time.”
Alyssa Gibbs, a teacher at Kingsbury, calls GoNoodle “fantastic!” “By using my Promethean board, my preschool children can access loads of songs,” she said. “The children love choosing their ‘champ’ and watching him grow through exercise and healthy choices. They feel stronger and successful each time we enter the ‘Transmogrifier.’ It is loads of fun!”
During the 2014-2015 school year, more than 43,000 Richland County students were engaged each month. Since beginning in early 2016 in Sumter County, there are 14 schools participating with 18,751 minutes of physical activity already completed. There were 92 active schools using GoNoodle in Richland and Sumter counties with 1,375 monthly active teachers. Palmetto Health will be investing about $22,000 to expand program into Sumter County.
About Palmetto Health
Palmetto Health, the largest health care system and one of the largest employers in South Carolina, is comprised of more than 12,000 team members, physicians and volunteers working together to fulfill Palmetto Health’s Vision: to be remembered by each patient as providing the care and compassion we want for our families and ourselves. The system includes seven acute-care hospitals— Baptist Easley, Palmetto Health Baptist, Palmetto Health Baptist Parkridge, Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, Palmetto Health Heart Hospital, Palmetto Health Richland and Palmetto Health Tuomey—as well as an expansive physician practice network, dozens of affiliated clinics and specialty care practices and a 501(c)(3) foundation. We co-own and operate Baptist Easley Hospital with Greenville Health System. Recognized nationally as one of the best places to work and receive care, Palmetto Health also trains the next generation of physicians through its 23 residency and fellowship programs affiliated with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. For more information, visit PalmettoHealth.org or call 803-296-CARE (2273).
About GoNoodle
GoNoodle gets kids moving to be their smartest, strongest, bravest, silliest, bestest selves. Short, interactive movement videos make it awesomely simple and fun to incorporate movement into every part of the day with dancing, stretching, running and even mindfulness activities. At school, teachers use GoNoodle to keep students energized, engaged and active inside the classroom. At home, GoNoodle turns screen time into active time, so families can have fun and get moving together. Currently, 10 million kids play GoNoodle each month. GoNoodle launched in 2013 and recently released an app for Apple TV. Learn more at www.gonoodle.com.
