News Release                              For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                         June 4, 2008

Turn Off The Screens Week Winners Announced!

Eighty percent of the schools in Grey Bruce participated in the sixth annual Turn Off The Screens Week! The challenge encouraged children to turn off the TV and computer and to get up and get moving.

Schools returning 50% or more of the completed log sheets received resources for physical activity promotion. The top four schools are: Dundalk & Proton Community School with 55.5% of students returning log sheets, Brant Township Central School with 50.8%, Sullivan Community School with 50%, Elgin Market Public School with 49.7% and Spruce Ridge Community School received honourable mention. Sixty-seven teachers also took the challenge. Teachers Anji Cottrill, John Mason, Brenda Colquhoun, Catherine Verburg, and Wendy Heatherington won a Suppertime Survival Cookbook, Manpo- Kei – The Art and Science of Step Counting or a pedometer.

As one of the individual challenge winners Austin MacKinnon, of Paisley Central School, received a $50.00 gift certificate for sporting goods equipment. “It was harder on us and missing his computer time was the biggest sacrifice,” said Austin’s mother Bernice. The senior kindergarten class at Paisley Central School also won the Pizza Party organized by the School Community Council for having the highest participation rate within their school.

Other winners of $50 gift certificates for sporting goods equipment are: Alison Jones, Bayview Public School; Sheila Hewnes, Keppel Sarawak Elementary School; Matthew Howie, Hanover Heights; and Kaitlyn Lowes, St. Basil’s School. Additional prizes of skipping ropes, t-shirts, frisbees and carabiners will be given out at assemblies in June. Each registered school received Turn Off The Screens t-shirts for prizes in their schools.

“The weather was perfect for Turn Off The Screens Week this year.” states event organizer, Betty Perkins. “It was a great week to be outdoors and many children took advantage of the splendid weather to go biking, play road hockey, jump on the trampoline and just have fun outdoors!”

The importance of the annual Turn off the Screens Week is reflected in the Canada’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth for 2008 from Active Healthy Kids Canada that states,  “Canadian children and youth receive a failing grade for physical activity levels as screen time replaces active play.” An average child aged 10 to 16 years reports screen time of 42 hours a week or more; three times longer than the recommended guidelines. The report also shows that preschool-aged children are spending two hours a day in front of a screen.

“The results of the Report Card are very disturbing. This trend of extreme inactivity in today’s children and youth will have an enormous impact on their development and potentially lead to long-term health issues including diabetes, cardio vascular disease and a range of chronic degenerative conditions,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, Chief Scientific Officer, Active Healthy Kids Canada. “Given that screen time has been revealed as a major contributor to inactivity, it’s critical that children and youth turn off the gadgets and get moving.”

In Grey Bruce, the new physical activity strategy PLAY in Bruce Grey is getting kids moving with activities and play in the park events occurring in many municipalities. Contact your local Community Action Network, Recreation Department or Public Health for events in your area.

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For more information:

Betty Perkins R.N. B.Sc.N

Public Health Nurse

Grey Bruce Health Unit

519-881-1920 ext. 239

bperkins@publichealthgreybruce.on.ca