New Youth Fitness Research Project at Signature Luncheon

Study to Follow Nearly 6,000 Students from 19 Private Schools in Dallas Area

DALLAS (February 27, 2009) ? The Cooper Institute announced today that donation from its second-annual “A Life Rx for Health” luncheon benefiting the Our Kids’ Health initiative will fund a two-year research project. The study will follow 19 of the 57 Dallas-area private, faith-based, and charter schools that received the FITNESSGRAM® physical fitness testing tool as a result of donations from last year’s luncheon.

Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton spoke about her childhood and athletic pursuits while thanking donors at today’s benefit luncheon attended by more than 400 guests at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. Stephanie Oakes worked with Dr. Cooper and Cooper Board Members to Secure funding and awareness for this luncheon.

Funds raised from this year’s luncheon will provide ongoing support of the private schools and allow experts to work closely with the students, teachers, parents, and communities to help improve fitness programs and increase the amount of children’s physical activity and healthy behaviors each day. Researchers will also gather and analyze the 19 schools’ FITNESSGRAM data of nearly 6,000 students to mark fitness levels and progress. The results from the study will be compiled to create a “best practices” model that will ultimately be available to all Texas schools.

“Collecting data is critical to the success of any program,” said Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founder and chairman, The Cooper Institute. “We have based our work on research for more than 40 years to validate correct action and guide proven-effective programs. The data we collect on these 19 private schools, and data we are gathering on 2.6 million Texas public school students, will help provide a comprehensive picture to help improve the health of our youth.”

FITNESSGRAM, created by The Cooper Institute, was selected in 2007 by the Texas Education Association as the statewide physical fitness assessment tool. Senate Bill 530 requires that public school students, grades 3 through 12, be tested by the FITNESSGRAM on their physical fitness annually. SB 530 also mandates physical education for K-8th graders.