Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

The big picture

Posted in:

Illinois

* From a press release…

Governor Bruce Rauner and Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils, announced [yesterday] the three winning schools that will each receive a state-of-the-art Live PositivelyTM Fitness Center. This multi-million dollar physical fitness campaign has named Abbott Middle School in Elgin, Drake Elementary School in Chicago and Lincoln Middle School in Rockford as Illinois’ most outstanding schools for demonstrating new and innovative ways for promoting student physical activity and wellness.

“Healthy habits begin in childhood, and these new fitness centers will help students build a solid foundation of physical activity at a young age,” Governor Rauner said. “With childhood obesity rates in Illinois among the highest in the nation, it’s imperative we take steps to reverse the trend. I’m happy to see three Illinois schools benefit from this public-private partnership, and thank Jake and the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils for providing them with this incredible opportunity.”

One of the greatest features of this program is that the Live Positively Fitness Centers are fully funded through public/private partnerships with companies like Coca-Cola, Anthem Foundation and Nike; and even better, there is absolutely no government funding or any costs to taxpayers.

“Childhood obesity is not a partisan issue; it’s a kids’ issue, and Governor Rauner has fully embraced our program and it’s been inspiring,” said Jake “Body by Jake” Steinfeld. “Since 2012, the National Foundation has provided fitness centers to more than a MILLION school kids and community members across the U.S.A. We are thrilled to award three Illinois schools with new fitness centers that will have a lasting impact on kids well into their future. I’ve always said that when you give the schools the tools, amazing things will happen. Not only will kids become more active and fit, they will also have increased confidence, improved self-esteem and will achieve greater academic success!”

The National Foundation’s goal is to build a nation of the fittest, healthiest kids in the world. Physical activity and exercise are shown to help prevent and treat more than 40 chronic diseases, enhance individual health and quality of life and reduce health care costs. In schools, studies show that physical activity improves academic achievement, increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces discipline problems, cuts absenteeism and fosters better interpersonal relationships.

That’s great news for those schools.

* But I wondered what Emily Miller at Voices for Children thought. Miller (no relation that we know of) is a tireless and relentless Statehouse advocate for kids. Here’s her take…

Given this announcement, the Governor seems to understand that some state investment and commitment is necessary to put kids on a healthy path. I agree with him that “healthy habits begin in childhood.”

I wonder, though, if the Governor is aware of his record on supporting programs for kids. Afterschool programs provide combinations of academic and physical fitness programs to get kids off on the right track, headed toward academic success– the same goals the Governor praises in his announcement of the winning schools. But he totally eliminated afterschool funding in his budget, then vetoed $13 million in state funding that came over in the spending plan from the General Assembly.

I wonder if the kids who used to go to the Rockford YMCA will be invited over to use Lincoln Middle School’s new gym since they don’t have anywhere else to go? Or maybe the kids who used to go to the Elgin YMCA will be invited over to use the new gym at Abbott Middle School?

The Rockford YMCA already closed its doors, and the Elgin YMCA program shutdown will coincide with the start of the school year. Any Chicago afterschool programs receiving state afterschool money were also cut completely.

“… Governor Rauner has fully embraced our program and it’s been inspiring.”

Oh, yes. I’m truly inspired.

* Emily also sent this along today…

The attached spreadsheet contains survey results from 35 TeenREACH agencies (of about 122 sites) from this last week. As you can imagine, lots of sites are dealing with how to communicate what’s happening to their kids, parents and staff, so survey response was not perfect. This is a fairly accurate picture of what’s happening across the state, and what’s about to happen.

In total, teen reach served about 15,000 youth in 2015 at about 122 sites across the state.

Between this, child care cuts, and cuts to human services across the board, it’s going to be a very, very rough “back to school” season this year for Illinois families.

Click here to read the survey results. It ain’t pretty.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:14 am

Comments

With any politician, pay attention to what they do, not what they say.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:17 am
This is a positive thing for those schools that does not use state funds. Good news for those kids and schools who put in the effort and won.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:20 am
Infuriating. But, then again, what else would I expect? The big problem is when these programs are cut, if funding is eventually restored, they take a long time to get up and running again.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:22 am
“I wonder if the kids who used to go to the Rockford YMCA” can go to the gyms at their own schools instead of waiting for an invitation to use the gym at Lincoln Middle School? But that would not fit the narrative.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:25 am
Supporting that for those three schools; but not supporting after school programs and not strongly supporting the HEAL act seems disjointed.

Comment by Logic not emotion Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:25 am
If the young people have fewer opportunities for healthy supervised activities, is there a chance they may engage in unhealthy activities? I think there is! A teen pregnancy and baby boom?

Rather sad because there probably won’t be any WIC, or ANY DHS services for 15 yr olds with babies in Rauner World.

Comment by cdog Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:26 am
Doesn’t Emily understand that funds for these children’s programs will be restored just as soon as Madigan’s puppets sign on to the governor’s plan to reduce the wages of their parents. Keep your eye on the goal, Emily! Boy, some people are so short sighted.

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:28 am
There is no plan, other than inflicting pain on the vulnerable. No plan to reach a particular number. A woefully mistaken scorched earth approach, but no plan to arrive at 36 and 71.

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:36 am
===“… Governor Rauner has fully embraced our program and it’s been inspiring.”====
Maybe when Bruce first ran and then obtained the governorship he really thought he knew how everything with the state worked and he had all the answers. Hopefully he will start to realize how far reaching the problems go and the answers are not going to be simple. But I have a feeling that Emily’s statement doesn’t even make it to him to read.

Comment by Been There Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:46 am
==Jake “Body by Jake” Steinfeld==

Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 9:52 am
Any support helps. But not sure about giving to those schools who already are doing well in promoting fitness versus some others who might need it more.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 10:11 am
From the first part :

“One of the greatest features of this program is that the Live Positively Fitness Centers are fully funded through public/private partnerships with companies like Coca-Cola, Anthem Foundation and Nike; and even better, there is absolutely no government funding or any costs to taxpayers.”

Absolutely no gov’t funding… Rauner’s doing his ****est to make that possible in Illinois.

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 11:28 am
IllinoisInc.?

Comment by Anonymous Redux Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:44 pm
Dear Rich

Governor Raunner loves kids; but the actual funding for people and kids in need?

Quoting a TV show: ‘We Don’t Care’.

With warmest personal regards,
ck

Comment by sal-says Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 5:00 pm
I guess the big hunter likes the easy prey. Looking at the survey…this is just sickening. Hope he has fun at Governor’s Day.

Comment by burbanite Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 6:47 pm