IT’S OUR COMMUNITY. IT’S OUR CENTER.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER!
For those of you who did not have the opportunity to attend the SSA meeting, or the PTA meeting at PS 132 last month, this blog is going to attempt to help answer any questions you may have and provide you with a direct way to volunteer for our cause!
I discovered School Settlement House and St. Nicks Alliance when working with PS 132 to resolve the space conflict in the K G&T Program this year.
Through this I learned from the Community Education Counsel and our District Superintendent that “enrichment spaces” such as GYM, Art, and Science are considered non-mandated spaces and that the loss of these spaces could happen very quickly, without notice, when mandated grades (grade 1-5) needed the space. PS 132 is at high risk of losing these spaces as early as next year.
Professionally, this hits a major nerve for me. I have Bachelors and Masters Degree in Applied Physiology and Pursuing Doctorate in Applied Physiology. My focus has been on youth health and physical activity promotion. I would like to share a few statistics with you so that you can further understand the importance of this space.
Obesity Statistics:
- Currently 16.3% of children (ages 0-19) in the United States are obese.
- Over the past 3 decades, the obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children ages 2- 5yrs.
- The obesity rate has tripled for children aged 6-11 years old
- 9 million children over 6 years of age are considered obese
- For obese children, as they age the probability that they will be obese as adults increases.
- 4 year old- 20% probability
- Teens- 80% probability
(Thorpe et al. American Journal of Public Health 2004; 94)
- If current rates continue, by 2015 2 in every 5 adults and 1 in every 4 children in the United States will be obese.
(Wang et al. 2003)
Regular Physical Activity participation is associated with preventing obesity, diabetes, cancers, and heart disease. Physical Activity in children is especially important as it is positively correlated with strong academic performance, a healthy sense of well-being, and the early prevention of lifelong disease. To achieve health benefit, children must participate in 60 minutes per day (420 minutes as compared to 150 minutes in adults) of age-appropriate mostly aerobic activity, plus three days of strength training and bone strengthening activity.
Despite the proven benefits of regular physical activity, only 14% of Williamsburg and Bushwick residents are achieving these physical activity recommendations. Even more alarming is that 56% of Williamsburg and Bushwick residents are currently not exercising (this number may be compared with 43% of New Yorkers in general). In addition, during winter months, children have limited to no access to large indoor gymnasium spaces as only a small percentage on New York City have indoor spaces. In our community only 1 public school has a full gymnasium (according to the DOE).
Without even considering the added value of creative expression through the arts, I am sure you understand the impact that a community space focused on arts and movement will have in our community. I want to assure you that after pursuing even legal consultation, I have learned that our best option to preserve these spaces is to create and fund them ourselves. Together we can make a significant impact so that our children will have access to the space and programs our community and school so desperately need.
So far I have secured a new gym floor for the space which we determined will cost about 11,000.00. Normally this same floor would cost between 30-40k, but we need to paint, patch, repair, and we need help. Not only working help, but also for funding the renovation of both the gymnasium and the upstairs space. PLEASE VOLUNTEER!
Thank you for your time in reading this! If you have any questions regarding my experience I would love to utilize this as a forum to answer them!
Sincerely,
Angela Corcoran
Mother to Jaxyn Corcoran (Kindergarten)
