SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Henkel, the company behind some of the nation's leading brands, including Dial^®, Purex^®, Renuzit^®, Right Guard^®, Soft Scrub^®, and Loctite^®, announced today that it is teaming up with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a non-profit organization founded by the American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation working to combat childhood obesity, to launch the Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit program. This back to school season, Henkel will give schools across America the opportunity to win $30,000 through the Henkel Helps program to improve the health and fitness equipment, resources and services available to students.

The 2011 Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit contest will award three deserving schools, one at the elementary, middle, and high school level, $10,000 each to improve youth fitness at their school. Educators, children, parents, and community members alike can nominate their school by answering one simple question on www.HenkelHelps.com: "What would your school do with $10,000 to improve youth fitness?"

"One of Henkel's core corporate values is a commitment to the quality of life in the communities in which we operate," said Natalie Violi, Henkel Helps Program Director. "The Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit contest embodies that value by encouraging communities nationwide to engage in a healthier, more active lifestyle in order to improve the quality of life for an entire generation. Working with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation broadens our impact with schools nationwide to promote the importance of youth fitness."

"The goals of the Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit program align perfectly with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's goal of reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015 and empowering kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices," said Ginny Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. "Thus the collaboration between Henkel and the Alliance could not be a better fit." The nomination process will be open to submissions through Sept. 30, 2011.

How to Enter

Based on the applications received, Henkel will select fifteen schools, five at the elementary, middle, and high school levels respectively, as finalists by Oct. 31. Finalists will be selected based on the relevance, originality, and inspiration of all of the nominations submitted. Once the finalists have been announced, the fifteen schools will receive a free flip video^™ camera to create a brief video that brings to life the health and fitness issues facing their school and their plan for making the most of the $10,000 prize.

The three winning schools will be determined by a public voting process that encourages schools, communities, and families to rally support for their school to improve youth health and fitness. Voting to determine the three winning schools will run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 20, with the winners announced on Nov. 30. Competing for votes against other finalists at the same education level, one deserving elementary, middle, and high school will be rewarded $10,000 each to turn the health and fitness program they outlined in their application into reality.

Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit will also offer a $5,000 sweepstakes for a deserving family that is dedicated to improving their health and fitness habits, but lacks the resources to do so.

School Budget Crisis Impacting Youth Health & Fitness

We've all heard the numbers – one third of American children are overweight and 75 percent are not getting enough daily exercise. Obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years — a trend that means, for the first time in our history, American youngsters face a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

Few know, however, that while we spend $150 billion every year to treat obesity-related conditions, the average amount schools spend on physical education is only $764 per year, with 61 percent of physical education teachers reporting an annual budget of less than $1,000, according to the 2010 Shape the Nation Report conducted by The National Association for Sport and Physical Education and The American Heart Association.

To address these issues, the Alliance's Healthy Schools Program supports more than 12,000 schools across the country to help them increase access to nutritious meals and physical activity. The Alliance's Program offers participating schools free expert advice and connects them with a variety of resources—including opportunities like the Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit—so they can build healthier campuses for students and staff.

For more information about the Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit program, please visit www.HenkelHelps.com.

About Henkel

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies in three business areas: Laundry & Home Care, Cosmetics/Toiletries, and Adhesive Technologies. Founded in 1876, Henkel holds globally leading market positions both in the consumer and industrial businesses with well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. Henkel employs about 48,000 people and reported sales of $20.07 billion and adjusted operating profit of $2.27 billion in fiscal 2010. Henkel's preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX and the company ranks among the Fortune Global 500.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation works to address one of the nation's leading public health threats – childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. Founded in 2005 by the American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation, the Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, doctor's offices and communities.  

SOURCE Henkel