Greenville, Wis.-based School Specialty fights obesity in North Carolina

GREENVILLE, Jul 16, 2008 (The Post-Crescent - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- SCHS | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- A School Specialty niche product was adopted by North Carolina educators to help children and early adolescents become more physically active.

The company's Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids (SPARK) curriculum product line was selected to support a new statewide preventive health effort to reach children and early adolescents in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance was awarded a four-year grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to introduce the In-School Prevention of Obesity and Disease Initiative across the state, with additional support from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation to purchase necessary equipment to implement the program.

"We're thrilled that our program's proven ability to help children become engaged in physical activity, health and wellness so clearly matches the goals of North Carolina's In-School Prevention of Obesity and Disease initiative," Paul Rosengard, executive director of School Specialty's Spark programs, said in a statement.

An alliance pilot program trained more than 280 physical education teachers in using the curriculum and representatives from the group began working with the physical education departments of 16 university education programs to include preparation for teaching the curriculum with their students.

School Specialty designs, develops and provides prekindergarten through grade 12 educators with curriculum, supplemental learning resources and school supplies. The company employs about 400 at its Greenville plant.

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