Mizuno Brand Ambassador and LPGA Tour star Stacy Lewis is trading her normal surroundings on the golf course for those of Capitol Hill as she spreads the message of physical education throughout America as part of the 2012 National Health Through Fitness Day (NHTF). On Wednesday, March 7th, Lewis and over 20 other athletes will be in Washington D.C. encouraging congressmen and congresswomen to support the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant in America's ongoing battle to win the crisis against childhood obesity.
The PEP Grant is designed to jumpstart innovative physical education programs in America’s schools and community based organizations. PEP is a highly competitive grant program administered by the Department of Education and these grants are the only federal funds dedicated exclusively to Physical Education (PE). Since 2001 PEP has provided over 700 million dollars in physical educations grants to schools and community-based organizations for the creation and expansion of quality physical education programs.
“As an athlete who battled scoliosis throughout my childhood and into my college years playing golf, I understand the importance of physical education programs in our schools,” said Lewis. “Being on Capitol Hill talking to congressman and congresswomen about the importance of the PEP grant is truly an honor that has been bestowed upon me and I plan to make the most of it.”
Every year school districts who are awarded the PEP grants use these critical funds to implement new and improved PE programs to enable all students to participate in healthy physical activity, fund community-based PE programs and train physical education teachers, school staff and administrators. Additionally, the grants provide new PE equipment, including heart-rate monitors, treadmills, elliptical machines, weight machines, mountain bikes, in-line skates and climbing walls among others.
Mizuno has provided sponsorship and support for The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association’s National Health Through Fitness Day for several years. Bringing athletes such as Stacy Lewis, Jennie Finch, and Natasha Watley to Capitol Hill, building on a program that fights America’s battle against the national obesity crisis, allows Mizuno to put its mark on a national epidemic that is growing throughout America.
