In its fourth year of partnering with nonprofit organization Marathon Kids, Midland Independent School District is set to implement Marathon Kids Connect district-wide in the 2020–2021 school year. This move will make Marathon Kids programming available to more than 13,000 students across 26 Midland elementary school campuses.
Marathon Kids Connect, a physical activity tracking app and reporting platform, was developed to make it easier than ever to track and report on kids’ active time. In this period of transitional Blended Learning for Midland ISD students, Marathon Kid Connect also bridges the gap between school and home, as parents and teachers can use the app together to log kids’ physical activity, track their progress, and celebrate success.
In 2017, H-E-B made a $50,000 investment in Midland ISD, which allowed students on 17 campuses to participate in the Marathon Kids program at no charge. That year, 95% of the 3,300 participating students ran at least 26.2 miles—the distance of a marathon—and top-performing students were recognized at the Root Beer Mile at the conclusion of the season. 21 coaches and volunteers in Midland ISD participated in the district’s first-ever Marathon Kids Leadership Academy. The following year, H-E-B increased its investment to 20 schools in Midland ISD, allowing the program to grow. Last year, again thanks to support from H-E-B, 3,882 Midland students tracked their distance each day, together running more than 86,000 miles.
The Marathon Kids program is proven to jumpstart healthy, long-lasting change for children. At a time when physical and mental health are at a premium, the partnership between Marathon Kids and Midland ISD highlights the district’s commitment to the wellbeing of its students and their families, now and into the future.
Audra Hooker, Director of P.E., Health & Wellness for Midland ISD, says, “I’m so pleased that in our fourth year to partner with Marathon Kids, we will be able to expand our program exponentially and provide our elementary students a healthy lifestyle opportunity that they can continue to pursue for years to come. In turn, it is our hope that other family members will be influenced by the program as they see the positive changes in our students’ health, physical fitness, behavior, reduced stress levels, and academic achievement.”
More About Marathon Kids
For 25 years, Marathon Kids has been on a mission to get kids moving—all kids, of all backgrounds and abilities. Research shows that healthy kids perform better in school, exhibit better behavior, and make better choices. With its fun, easy, and rewarding walking and running program, Marathon Kids shows kids they can achieve more than they ever thought possible. The nonprofit organization has inspired more than 2.5 million children with its free youth running program. Learn more at MarathonKids.org.