  
On November 3rd, 2008 Hornets Center Tyson Chandler launched a unique healthy lifestyle initiative geared at fighting childhood obesity. After Chandler saw that he could use his role as a professional athlete and community leader to impart the importance of exercise, he collaborated with Men’s Health magazine to create the FitSchools Challenge program in New Orleans schools. The FitSchools Foundation is a non-profit organization created by Men’s Health magazine to enhance childhood health by instilling a sense of fun and achievement into physical exercise.Chandler’s FitSchools initiative launched this November at Andrew H. Wilson Charter School in New Orleans. Chandler announced a challenge to the school’s students to improve their own health by accomplishing the following daily: • Eat fruits and vegetables each day to maintain a healthy diet. • Drink 6 glasses of water each day. • Spend 60 minutes doing something active by exercising or playing outdoors. During the 2008-2009 season, each child at Andrew H. Wilson will receive a punch card where they can track their own progress with these goals. Their punch cards will also offer several kid-friendly tips on how to make exercise fun. Some of Chandler’s tips include playing tag with friends during recess, volunteering to walk a neighbor’s dog and changing the television channels by hand instead of the remote. At Chandler’s FitSchools Challenge launch on November 3rd, he brought the excitement of a Hornets home game to Andrew H. Wilson Elementary by hosting an assembly with Men’s Health to rally students to find creative outlets for exercise. By using games and contests normally played during half-time, Chandler illustrated that fitness doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be as exciting as a relay race or a slam-dunk contest. “If we get [children] eating healthy and get them into an active life now, they’ll have the same active life when they get older,” Chandler said. “We’re trying to start them when they’re younger before it gets too late.”  Chandler’s guests also included Hugo the Hornet and the members of the Honeybee dance team. In addition to giveaways from the Hornets and PowerAde, Andrew H. Wilson received two new basketball goals from Spalding and 25 new bicycles from Specialized. All of the school’s new resources are intended to reinforce Chandler’s challenge to the students to make exercise a daily habit. “I’m an athlete now but it’s not all about just being an athlete; it’s about leading a healthy life,” Chandler said. “You don’t have to be a professional basketball player to be healthy and being able to preach that to them- I think it really touches the kids.” Throughout the 2008-2009 season, Chandler will reward students who have met FitSchools Challenge benchmarks by inviting them to Hornets home games. Chandler has created a special seating section in the New Orleans Arena called “Tyson’s FIT Club” that will serve as an incentive for students participating in his program. Each child will receive a t-shirt and will be considered for a chance to attend “Tyson’s FIT Club” Night at the New Orleans Arena on March 25th where Chandler will salute the 200 most outstanding members of the FitSchools Challenge. Tyson Chandler’s FitSchools Challenge will be funded by his signature charity- Rebound to Rebound. After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Chandler created the program to contribute towards the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. For each rebound recorded during the season, Chandler donates $10 to Rebound to Rebound. In the 2007-2008 season, Chandler committed his Rebound to Rebound proceeds to the New Orleans Hornets Hoops for Homes Teachers Initiative- a program intended to fund the rebuilding of teachers’ homes in New Orleans. As the leading offensive rebounder with a career high of 928 rebounds, Chandler has committed almost $10,000 to Hoops for Homes in 2008. Contributions from Chandler and other Hoops for Homes partners allowed 47 New Orleans teachers to move back into their homes that were severely damaged in Hurricane Katrina. Fans are encouraged to track Tyson’s rebounds this season at www.tysonchandler.com. TYSON CHANDLER’S WEB SITE: www.tysonchandler.com |
