Arkansas PBS > Engage > Pressroom > AETN awarded 'Cyberchase' grant to encourage physical activity
Posted 25 Apr 2017
The Arkansas Educational Television Network has been awarded a 'Cyberchase Step It Up!' grant for $10,000 to encourage kids to increase their physical activity during the school day. AETN has partnered with the Pine Bluff School District, Jefferson County Growing Healthy Communities and Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation to fulfill the grant.
'Cyberchase Step It Up!' is a five-week, school-based active kids challenge designed to get children across the country to increase their physical activity during the school day through simple exercises and engaging math-based activities. Six hundred students in 2nd-5th grades from the Pine Bluff School District are participating.
Over the course of five weeks, each participating child will increase their steps and monitor their physical activity. Students received pedometers to track their daily steps, and the student who increases their steps the most will win an award. By the end of the challenge, students across the country will have taken over 30 million additional steps.
Teachers, administrators and students will use an established set of activities, developed by Tufts University's Active Schools Acceleration Project, to build their physical activity during the program. Each teacher has received a toolkit, and students will receive weekly incentives for their participation in the project.
AETN received the grant from WNET/THIRTEEN Production LLC. Last year, 11 stations across the country joined WNET in challenging students to increase their step counts while enjoying math activities in school. Over 7,200 students completed the challenged and walked more than 35 million steps.
'Cyberchase' airs Thursdays at 5 p.m. on AETN and throughout the week on AETN PBS KIDS.
'Cyberchase' is the Emmy Award winning math series on PBS KIDS. Developed for kids ages 6 to 11 and packed with mystery, humor and action, 'Cyberchase' delivers positive messages about math by teaching concepts in a fun way that kids can understand. 'Cyberchase' is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET.
WNET is America's flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21.
WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as 'Nature,' 'Great Performances,' 'American Masters,' 'PBS NewsHour Weekend,' 'Charlie Rose' and a range of documentaries, children's programs and local news and cultural offerings. WNET's groundbreaking series for children and young adults include 'Get the Math,' 'Oh Noah!' and 'Cyberchase,' as well as 'Mission US,' the award-winning interactive history game.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network is Arkansas's only statewide public media network, which enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers through the distinct channels AETN PBS, AETN Create, AETN PBS KIDS, AETN World and AETN AIRS on SAP. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at aetn.org. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro) and KETZ (El Dorado).