nrgBalance zone

faqs

1. Why should I enroll?
2. Who is eligible?
3. Who should lead enrollment efforts for my school/community rec center?
4. How do I apply for a membership award?
5. I've enrolled, now what?
6. What resources are available to me as an nrgBalance Zone enrollee?
7. Who do I contact for assistance in getting started?

1. Why should I enroll?

Enrolling as an nrgBalance Zone is a great opportunity for schools and community recreation centers to highlight the work already being done or being planned to help youth maintain a healthy weight. With so many demands facing today’s youth and families, it is critical to help youth understand the importance of making healthy choices – balancing healthy meals and snacks with regular physical activity – to help offset the many unhealthy conveniences that are readily available.

Through the campaign, nrgBalance Zones receive special access to a number of free online resources including event planning guides and a consumer health education message; professional development opportunities and implementation tools; and a membership award application to select program materials that empower teen engagement, teach lifetime recreation skills, and promote walking and biking to/from school.

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2. Who is eligible?

Beginning in 2009, the nrgBalance Zones campaign will now be open to both K-12 school buildings (public and private) as well as community recreation centers with after school programming for youth.

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3. Who should lead enrollment efforts for my school/community rec center?

Throughout the campaign’s history, school health councils have traditionally played the leading role in ensuring their school building completes the online enrollment. Within a school health council, it is often the school nurse, school food service director or physical education teacher that champions the enrollment efforts from year to year.

Due to the varied organizational structure of community recreation centers, it is difficult to identify who should be the primary contact for nrgBalance Zone enrollment. Recommendations include the wellness coordinator, youth director, program services director, or child care director. Regardless of title, the key contact should be intimately familiar with the after school program offered as well as the nutritional and physical activities policies and practices in place.

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4. How do I apply for a membership award?

Membership award applications will be available upon the completion of the online assessment. Once the enrollment has been submitted, an online application form will immediately be generated and a membership award must be selected at that time. We recommend working with your wellness team to select an award from the list provided in advance of completing the online assessment.

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5. I've enrolled, now what?

Once a school or community recreation center has completed the 2009 nrgBalance Zone enrollment, an electronic Welcome Pack will be e-mailed to a school or community recreation center’s nrgBalance Zone team in early April 2009. In August 2009, an nrgBalance Zone Resource Pack will be mailed to the primary contact.

nrgBalance Zone Resource Pack

• nrgBalance 12345! Bulletin Board Display
• nrgBalance 12345! Posters
• nrgBalance Event Posters (Apple Crunch, Go for the Greens & Move it Outside)
• Walk to/at School Day Posters
• nrgWalks materials (school walking program education and promotion materials)
• nrgBalance Zone Checklist
• 2009/2010 Calendar of Events
• nrgBalance 12345! Fact Sheet
• nrgBalance 12345! Resource Menu

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6. What resources are available to me as an nrgBalance Zone enrollee?

nrgBalance Zones receive special access to a number of free online resources including event planning guides and a consumer health education message; professional development opportunities and implementation tools; and a membership award application to select program materials that empower teen engagement, teach lifetime recreation skills, and promote walking and biking to/from school.

nrgBalance Zone Benefits provided to all schools and recreation centers enrolled in the campaign:

nrgBalance Zone Resource Pack
(mailed the end of August to start the 2009-10  school year)

• nrgBalance 12345! Bulletin Board Display
• nrgBalance 12345! Posters
• nrgBalance Event Posters (Apple Crunch, Go for the Greens & Move it Outside)
• Walk to/at School Day Posters
• nrgWalks materials (school walking program education and promotion materials)
• nrgBalance Zone Checklist
• 2009/2010 Calendar of Events
• nrgBalance 12345! Fact Sheet
• nrgBalance 12345! Resource Menu

Year-long Membership Benefits:

• Seasonal nrgBalance Zone Toolkits (online)
• Downloadable nrgBalance nutrition and physical education lesson plans
• Free registrations for professional developments offered through the Energy Balance Learning Center
• nrgBalance eNews registration (including regular communication about events, other grant opportunities, and free resources to help you improve nutrition and physical activity in your school or rec center)
• Access to online event planning guides to celebrate nrgBalance Events – Apple Crunch, Go for the Greens, & Move it Outside
• Support for positive media exposure
• Customized annual report to benchmark school wellness progress and share with leaders and stakeholders
• Discounts on physical education equipment through Flaghouse
• nrgBalance Zones membership awards (nrgBalance program materials, evidence-based programs, and other incentives) to support the implementation of the healthy change

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7. Who do I contact for assistance in getting started?

The Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital is pleased to provide technical assistance to schools and community recreations centers that enroll in the nrgBalance Zone Campaign.

Please contact the following staff with questions, concerns or if additional information is needed during enrollment or throughout the campaign year.

School Contact:
Rebecca Stametz
(717) 531-1440 ext. 2
rstametz@psu.edu

Community Recreation Center Contact:
Bryan Garrido
(717) 531-1440 ext. 5
bgarrido@psu.edu

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