Green Bay Packers and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Team Up to Improve Youth Health

MILWAUKEE and GREEN BAY, Wis., Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Green Bay Packers and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are teaming up to bring health tips and stories from the Packers to fourth grade classrooms across the state. 

Today, the two organizations announced that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will serve as the presenting sponsor of the Green Bay Packers' Fit Kids program. Fit Kids is a free year-long fourth grade curriculum for public schools in Wisconsin designed to promote healthy living by focusing on the physical, nutritional and social aspects of good health.

Each month, a new topic is explored, including: Get Together, Get Out, Get Fueled, Get Cooking, Get Moving, Get Bendy, Get Happy and Get Fit. Green Bay Packers players kick off each new section with a video encompassing the theme for that month, in addition to appearing on various posters and program materials.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield will work with the Packers to raise awareness of the program and advance its adoption in classrooms across the state.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Green Bay Packers – the league's only community-owned team – to promote health and wellness in our local communities across Wisconsin," said Larry Schreiber, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. "Through Fit Kids we hope to help kids learn the importance of playing and eating right so they can live their longest, healthiest lives possible."

Fit Kids was developed in 2004 by several educators in the Green Bay Area Public School District, with support from the Green Bay Packers, CBS 5 WFRV-TV and the Karma Group. Several other districts adopted the program for the 2005-06 school year and in 2006-07 the program rolled out statewide.

Currently in its eighth year, Fit Kids has been adopted by over 315 public school districts in the state, with thousands of students receiving the benefit of the successful curriculum. Within these districts, the program has been incorporated by fourth-grade classroom teachers, physical education teachers and school nurses, and integrated into their lessons as they chose.

"Fit Kids is a unique program that helps kids learn the importance of getting and staying healthy directly from our players," said Cathy Dworak, manager of Community Outreach & Player/Alumni Relations for the Packers. "We are excited to work with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield on Fit Kids because, like the Packers, they have a proud tradition and longstanding commitment to serving the people of Wisconsin."

The partnership comes at a time when childhood health is on the decline.

"Childhood obesity has tripled since 1980," said Dr. Michael Jaeger, medical director for Anthem. "This means that if we don't start teaching our kids about healthy lifestyles they are going to face lifelong challenges such as heart disease and diabetes in far greater numbers than previous generations. It is a very serious problem and one that requires our entire state to focus on helping kids get off to a healthy start." 

Parents, teachers and school district officials can learn more about Fit Kids and can register their classrooms by visiting the Fit Kids page on Packers.com (www.Packers.com/FitKids).

Essay and poster contest will award 70 tickets

Also today, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced that it will be giving away tickets to the New Year's Day game against the Detroit Lions to 35 fourth graders through an essay and poster contest. 

Each student who wins will be awarded two tickets – one for them and one for their parent or guardian who will accompany them to the game. In addition to the game ticket, the winners will also receive two passes to get into the Green Bay Packers' MVP Party in the Tundra Tailgate Zone prior to the game. 

To enter the contest, students from public schools in Wisconsin registered in the Fit Kids program must write an essay or make a poster that describes what they do to stay healthy. Complete contest rules and the official entry form can be found on Packers.com/FitKids. All entries must be received by December 16, 2011. 

Parents can find out if their child's school is participating in the Fit Kids program by checking with their teacher, or by visiting Packers.com/FitKids to lookup their school district's representative.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin ("BCBSWi") underwrites or administers the PPO and indemnity policies; Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation ("Compcare") underwrites or administers the HMO policies; and Compcare and BCBSWi collectively underwrite or administer the POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/healthjoinin, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthJoinIn, or visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/healthjoinin.

SOURCE Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin