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INDIANAPOLIS – On Friday, May 17, 2013, Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders visited approximately 200 students at North Elementary School (Washington, Ind.) to celebrate the school as winner of the 2012 PLAY 60 Challenge! In partnership with the American Heart Association and the Y of Greater Indianapolis, the Colts launched the 2012 PLAY 60 Challenge in September. The initiative challenged children in grades 4-8 throughout Indiana to participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day during a six-week period. With almost 480,000 minutes recorded, North Elementary brought home the PLAY 60 Challenge hardware for the second year in a row!
North Elementary students displayed their award-winning enthusiasm when Colts Cheerleaders arrived on Friday to congratulate the school. After the trophy presentation concluded, the cheerleaders participated in activities that the school provided for their students' annual field day. Students were hard at play, interacting with inflatable obstacle courses, platform jousting, basketball hot shot contests and an interactive dance video game. The energetic children only allowed themselves short breaks in order to greet the cheerleaders, pose for pictures and seek autographs.
The Colts PLAY 60 Challenge is one of several programs that support the NFL's PLAY 60 platform. Students at participating schools or after-school programs who completed at least 60 minutes of activity each day for six weeks in the fall were eligible to win tickets to a 2012 Colts home game. A trophy and a visit from Colts Cheerleaders were awarded to the Top School of the 2012-2013 school year, which included fall and spring PLAY 60 Challenge programs. North Elementary completed the greatest number of participation minutes for the school year.
North Elementary Physical Education Teacher, Arlene Owens, whose class had the greatest participation in the fall, earned the Top Teacher title. Student Sami Branson, of the Durbin Elementary School YMCA Before and After School Program (Noblesville, Ind.), completed the highest number of minutes and was the Top Student in the fall portion of the contest. As a prize, both Owens and Branson received a pair of tickets to a 2012 Colts home game.
**Click here** to view photos from the 2012 PLAY 60 Challenge Top School visit.
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About American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization fighting heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. These diseases devastate millions of Americans of all ages and cause nearly 950,000 deaths each year. To fight them, the association supports research, public and professional education and community service programs in local communities throughout America. For more information about the American Heart Association, visit www.heart.org.
About The Y of Greater Indianapolis
The Y of Greater Indianapolis serves more than 188,000 people in diverse communities throughout greater Indianapolis. The Y brings together young and old, men and women, people of all faiths, backgrounds and incomes. In 2009, the Y provided nearly $6 million in scholarships, subsidies, and under-written programs and community services in low income neighborhoods. Through 15 branches and in collaboration with more than 200 churches, schools, and other community groups and organizations, the Y is also able to extend its program opportunities throughout Central Indiana and into the heart of urban neighborhoods. For more information about the Y's programs and services, visit www.indymca.org.
About PLAY 60
In 2007, the NFL launched a new initiative designed to tackle childhood obesity and encourage today's youth to live healthier lives. Through the PLAY 60 platform, we challenge students across the nation to be active at least 60 minutes each day. NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with an impressive roster of partner organizations - Action for Healthy Kids, Ad Council, American Heart Association, National Dairy Council, Nickelodeon, United Way and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In additional to national PSAs and online programs, PLAY 60 will also be implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. Locally, the Indianapolis Colts are implementing a variety of PLAY 60 programming designed to confront the issue of childhood obesity in Indiana. To learn more about other Play 60 programs, visit www.colts.com/PLAY60.
