National Head Start Association

 

What is the Go Smart Initiative?

The Go Smart Initiative is a national partnership between Nike, the National Head Start Association, and Playworks. Go Smart is designed to improve the health of pre-K children (ages 0-5) and their families through the development and dissemination of a high-quality early childhood physical activity program specifically for the Head Start community.

 

Why the Go Smart Initiative?

In response to the growing problem of obesity, Go Smart helps families and educators learn techniques to engage children from birth up to age five in regular physical activity, inside and outside of the classroom and the home. Go Smart provides an opportunity for families and educators to bring physical activity to the forefront of family life, which helps the development of confident, healthy children.

 

What are some of the benefits of Go Smart?

• Increases knowledge among Head Start staff and families and helps change behavior by promoting positive habits and learning in a fun, healthy manner.
• Provides teachers and parents with solutions to address the barriers associated with physical activity.
• Promotes an understanding regarding the reasons why physical activity is critical to a child's physical, cognitive and social development
• Demonstrates how the family, school and community can work in partnership to create sustained behavior change through self-sustaining partnerships.

 

How is the Go Smart Initiative delivered in Head Start programs?

Go Smart is a three-fold program that consists of the following components:

       1.  Training:
           a.    Staff Training: A Health and Physical Activity Mentor (HPAM) delivers large (general)
                  and small (topic-specific) trainings and review (refresher courses).

            b.    Parent/Family Training: The HPAM provides parent trainings during a Head Start program's
                   regularly scheduled parent meetings on various health, physical activity, and community-based topics.

            c.    Equipment and Instructional Guides to support implementation

 

          2. Technical Assistance: The HPAM offers one-on-one mentoring and technical assistance,
              reinforcing concepts shared during staff trainings. 

 

          3.  Assessment and Evaluation: Throughout the training period and thereafter teaching staff are
               expected to observe, assess, and document children's progress as it relates to physical activity
               and development. The HPAM is available to provide teaching staff with assistance in documenting
               the children's progress using a streamline method of record keeping. This information is to be used
               to further influence an overall evaluation that will help measure the overall effectiveness of
               the Go Smart Initiative. In addition, parents may be asked to participate in focus groups.

 

Who do I contact for more information?

If you are interested in learning more about the Go Smart Initiative, please contact:

The National Head Start Association

Attn: Tiereny V. Lloyd

1651 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 tlloyd@nhsa.org  703-299-7519