Low-income Elementary Schools Research Articles

Physical Activity Enjoyment, Physical Activity Behavior, and Motor Competence in Low-Income Elementary School Students

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between low-income elementary school students’ physical activity enjoyment and physical activity behavior and to determine if their motor competence predicts their physical activity enjoyment and physical activity behavior. A total of 82 students (51.2% male; Mage = 10, SD = 0.861) from two Title I elementary schools in the western United States were involved in this study. The students completed the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C), and the Test of Gross Motor Development–Third Edition (TGMD-3). The results of the correlation analysis showed that physical activity enjoyment and physical activity behavior among the students were significantly related, r(80) = 0.379, p < 0.001. Multiple regression models indicated that locomotor skills were a significant predictor of the level of physical activity enjoyment (F(2,79) = 8.334, p < 0.001; t = 3.76, p < 0.001), while motor competence did not predict the level of physical activity behavior. These findings illustrate the importance of both physical activity enjoyment and physical activity behavior and the significant role of locomotor skills in enhancing the level of physical activity enjoyment in this specific population of children. Motor competence should be considered a priority when designing and implementing physical education and physical activity programs for school-aged children from lower-income families.

Agricultural burning in Imperial Valley, California and respiratory symptoms in children: A cross-sectional, repeated measures analysis

Burning of agricultural fields is an understudied source of air pollution in rural communities in the United States. Smoke from agricultural burning contains air toxics that adversely impact respiratory health. Imperial County in southeastern California is a highly productive agricultural valley that heavily employs agricultural burning to clear post-harvest crop remnants. We related individual-level exposure to agricultural burns to parent-reported respiratory symptoms in children.We leveraged the Children's Assessing Imperial Valley Respiratory Health and the Environment (AIRE) cohort of 735 predominantly Hispanic low-income elementary school students in Imperial County. Parents reported children's respiratory health symptoms and family demographic characteristics in questionnaires collected at enrollment and in annual follow-up assessments from 2017 to 2019. Permitted agricultural burns in Imperial County from 2016 to 2019 were spatially linked to children's geocoded residential addresses. We used generalized estimating equations to evaluate prevalence differences (PDs) in respiratory symptoms with increasing exposure to agricultural burning within 3 km in the 12 months prior to each assessment.Nearly half of children (346, 49 %) lived within 3 km of at least one agricultural burn in the year prior to study enrollment. In adjusted models, each additional day of agricultural burning in the prior year was associated with a one percentage point higher prevalence of wheezing (PD 1.1 %; 95 % CI 0.2 %, 2.0 %) and higher bronchitic symptoms (PD 1.0 %; 95 % CI -0.2 %, 2.1 %). Children exposed to four or more days of burning had an absolute increased prevalence of wheezing and bronchitic symptoms of 5.9 % (95 % CI -0.3 %, 12 %) and 5.6 % (95 % CI -1.8 %, 13 %), respectively, compared to no burn exposure. Associations with wheezing were stronger among children with asthma (PD 14 %; 95 % CI -1.4 %, 29 %).To our knowledge, this is the first U.S. study of agricultural burning and children's respiratory health. This work suggests that reducing agricultural burning could improve children's respiratory health.

Not all fun and games: Disparities in school recess persist, and must be addressed

School recess is an evidence-backed approach to increase school-based opportunities for students to play, accrue necessary physical activity, and socialize with peers, to the benefit of their physical, academic, and socioemotional health. As such, the Centers for Disease Control recommend at least 20 min of daily recess in elementary schools. However, unequal provision of recess contributes to persistent health and academic disparities for students, which remain to be addressed. We analyzed data from the 2021–22 school year from a sample of low-income (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education-eligible) elementary schools (n = 153) across California. Just 56 % of schools reported providing more than 20 min of recess daily. Differences in daily recess provision were apparent, with students in larger and lower-income schools receiving less daily recess than students in smaller and higher income schools. These findings support the enactment of legislation mandating health-sufficient daily recess in California elementary schools. They also highlight the importance of, and need for, annually-collected data sources to enable monitoring of recess provision, and potential disparities, over time, in order to assist in identifying additional interventions to address this public health problem.

Effects of a School-Based Nutrition, Gardening, and Cooking Intervention on Metabolic Parameters in High-risk Youth

Although school-based gardening programs for children have consistently been shown to improve dietary behaviors, no cluster randomized clinical trial (RCT) has evaluated the effects of a school-based gardening intervention on metabolic outcomes. To evaluate the effects of a school-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention (Texas Sprouts) on changes in metabolic outcomes in elementary schoolchildren. This study was a secondary analysis of a cluster RCT, conducted over 3 years from 2016 to 2019, at low-income elementary schools with majority Hispanic students in the greater Austin, Texas, area. Data were analyzed from January to August 2022. Texas Sprouts was 1 school year long (9 months) and consisted of (1) Garden Leadership Committee formation; (2) a 0.25-acre outdoor teaching garden; (3) 18 student gardening, nutrition, and cooking lessons taught by trained educators throughout the school year; and (4) 9 monthly parent lessons. The delayed intervention was implemented the following academic year and received an identical intervention. The following measures were obtained at baseline and postintervention (9 months): demographics via survey; measured height, weight, and body mass index parameters; and glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and a lipid panel via an optional fasting blood draw. Sixteen elementary schools were randomly assigned to either Texas Sprouts intervention (8 schools) or to delayed intervention (control, 8 schools). A total of 3302 children (aged 7-12 years) were enrolled in Texas Sprouts, and fasting blood samples were obtained from 1104 children (or 33% of those enrolled) at baseline. The final analytic sample included 695 children (307 boys [44.17%]; mean [SE] age, 9.28 [0.04] years; 480 Hispanic children [69.02%]; 452 [65.03%] eligible for free or reduced lunch) with complete demographic data and baseline and postintervention (9-month) fasting blood draws. Compared with control schools, children from Texas Sprouts schools had a 0.02% reduction in mean hemoglobin A1c (95% CI, 0.03%-0.14%; P = .005) and a 6.40 mg/dL reduction in mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (95% CI, 3.82-8.97 mg/dL; P = .048). There were no intervention effects on glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, or other lipid parameters. In this cluster RCT, Texas Sprouts improved glucose control and reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in high-risk youth. These findings suggest that elementary schools should incorporate garden-based interventions as a way to improve metabolic parameters in children. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02668744.

The effects of school gardens on fruit and vegetable consumption at school: A randomized controlled trial with low-income elementary schools in four U.S. states

This randomized controlled trial examines the effects of a school garden intervention on children’s fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption at school over two years. We randomly assigned schools to the intervention group that received gardens and related curriculum (n = 24) or to the waitlist control group that received gardens and curriculum at the conclusion of the study (n = 22). Children in second, fourth, and fifth grade at baseline (n = 2767) in low-income schools (n = 46) in four U.S. States (Arkansas, Iowa, New York, and Washington) participated. The intervention comprised gardens for each classroom; a curriculum focused on nutrition, plant science, and horticulture, including activities and FV tasting sessions; resources for the school that addressed topics such as soil contamination and food safety; an implementation guide focused on issues related to planning, planting, and maintaining the garden through the year, engaging volunteers, summer gardening, building community capacity, and sustaining the gardening program. FV consumption was measured by photographing lunches before and after children ate, for 2–3 days, at baseline and at each of 3 subsequent periods of data collection during the intervention. FV consumption was calculated using Digital Food Image Analysis. Among children in the intervention, fruit consumption and low-fat vegetable consumption increased from pre-garden baseline to post-garden more than among control group children. Garden intervention fidelity (GIF) also predicted changes in dietary intake, with more robust interventions showing a stronger effect than weaker interventions. GIF-lessons was a particularly potent predictor of change in dietary intake. School gardens modestly increase children’s FV consumption at school.

Financial and strategic management analysis of Farmer Foodshare Inc., a nonprofit food organization

Following best financial management practices that increase the likelihood of long-term economic sustainability is likely not the primary concern of nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits focus their attention primarily on achieving mission-driven goals. However, research reports that balancing financial sustainability with an organizational mission is a core challenge for most nonprofits, particularly for organizations serving low-income households. This article provides a case study of Farmer Foodshare Inc., a US nonprofit social enterprise in the food sector working with financially challenged family farms, food-insecure households, and low-income elementary school students. This case study was prepared with primary data collected during interviews and secondary sources. In the summer of 2019, the management team of Farmer Foodshare needed to revisit the organization’s operating model. Management in this organization was concerned about whether strategic decisions, such as discontinuing or re-designing some programs, should be made. The case provides firm and industry data to evaluate Farmer Foodshare’s economic sustainability. Enterprise economic sustainability can be assessed by combining an inherent financial analysis with a strategic management analysis. The strategic management analysis, which complements the financial analysis, can be performed with an organizational strategic self-assessment framework by answering questions related to the organization’s mission, results, and plans.

The Grass Is Greener on This Side of the Fence: Garden Education Impacts on Low-Income Elementary School Students' Environmental Literacy in San José, California

The Grass Is Greener on This Side of the Fence: Garden Education Impacts on Low-Income Elementary School Students' Environmental Literacy in San José, California

Community Support for Low-Income Elementary School Students with a Winter Gear Drive under COVID 19 Constraints

Washington County has one of Maine’s highest rates of child poverty. Winter is especially difficult with below-freezing temperatures, higher fuel costs, and many seasonal tourism-related businesses closed. Typically local schools have collections of hats and gloves that children can share. With the 2020-2021 COVID-19 restrictions, children could not reuse winter gear from a shared box and, if they did not have their own winter gear, they were unable to participate in outside activities. Additionally, because of spacing constraints, schools were using gyms for classrooms not for physical activities, which doubly disadvantaged students without winter gear. This paper describes a university student winter gear project and underscores the need for policies supporting children in poverty.

Validity and Reliability of a Site-Level Assessment Questionnaire to Assess Nutrition and Physical Activity Practices in Schools.

Background: Schools are an ideal setting for policy, systems, and environmental approaches to obesity prevention. Although school health environment assessments exist for planning purposes, we developed and tested a comprehensive questionnaire that is suitable for both evaluation and planning. Methods: Reliability was measured by comparing data collected by school personnel from low-income elementary schools across California at two time points, an average of 2 months apart (n = 23). To assess convergent validity, school responses were compared with the responses completed by the research team (n = 28). A weighted kappa test statistic and percent agreement were calculated for each question and specific groups of questions (questionnaire section, item topic, and response type). Results: Test/retest reliability of the questionnaire yielded kappa statistics that ranged from -0.14 to 1.00 (interquartile range [IQR] 0.36). Percent agreement for reliability ranged from 34.78 to 100.00 (IQR 21.7). Kappa statistics for validity ranged from -0.14 to 1.00 (IQR 0.44). Percent agreement for validity ranged from 14.29 to 100.00 (IQR 39.2). Based on these findings, the tool was revised. Conclusions: Study findings indicate that the Site-Level Assessment Questionnaire as tested is a reliable and accurate instrument for use in low-income elementary schools. Revisions may have improved the validity and reliability. We therefore recommend either version for use to support low-income schools in their efforts to assess needs, evaluate progress, and create action plans; and to supply high-quality, aggregable data for large-scale analysis. Additional testing is recommended to validate the revised version, increase generalizability, and determine sensitivity to detect change over time.

Health-Related Fitness Levels among Title I Elementary School Students.

Over the past few decades, studies have emphasized improving children’s health by increasing health-related fitness levels. Despite the known benefits of health-related fitness in youth, studies have also highlighted a lack of physical activity opportunities for children living in low-income households. The purpose of this study was to investigate the health-related fitness levels of students attending Title I (low-income) elementary schools. A total of 77 elementary students (50.6% female; Mage = 10.0, SD = 0.827) from two Title I elementary schools in the western United States completed the FitnessGram assessments of aerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. Descriptive statistics were used to identify the number of students in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) based upon the FitnessGram HFZ Performance Standards. Less than 17% of students achieved the HFZ for aerobic capacity and only 31.2% achieved the HFZ for upper body strength and endurance. Students performed better for abdominal strength and endurance and flexibility with 55.8% and 68.8% achieving the HFZ, respectively. The results of this study offer insights into the health-related fitness levels of a unique population, students attending Title I schools. School health professionals, including physical education teachers, need to be aware of existing disparities and make efforts to systematically intervene.

Effects of a University–School Partnered After-School Music Program on Developmental Health, Social, and Educational Outcomes

Objective: Little is known about which aspects of after-school programs bolster the developmental milestones required for children to thrive intellectually, socially, and academically. To help close this gap, we examined the effects of an El Sistema-inspired (ESI) after-school music education program to identify the intervention’s social, educational, and developmental health outcomes. Method: The ESI after-school program was provided to 93 fifth-grade students in a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income elementary school in Ann Arbor, MI, over 4 years. We assessed program effects with a mixed-methods design that included preprogram and postprogram participant surveys, interviews with music instructors and the school principal, and parent and participant focus groups. Results: From pretest to posttest, we found significant changes in students’ perception of their music-making ability and in their connection to other students. Participants also noted an enhanced sense of school pride and broader community recognition. Conclusions: Findings suggest that providing after-school music education in racially and ethnically diverse low-income communities may be an effective strategy for enhancing personal agency, strengthening school connections, and fostering school pride in children.

The contribution of teacher structure, involvement, and autonomy support on student engagement in low-income elementary schools

ABSTRACT Providing high-quality teaching practices is central to promote student engagement in school. High quality teaching is even more important in schools located in low socioeconomic neighborhoods, where a larger proportion of children present more important academic difficulties and lower classroom behavioural, affective, and cognitive engagement. The Self-System Model of Motivational Development posits that learner engagement is favored when teachers structure classroom activity, are involved with students, and support their autonomy. How these dimensions interact to create effective classroom contexts that foster student engagement remains less documented. The goal of the present study was to test additive and combined (interactive) multilevel longitudinal associations between teacher structure, autonomy-support, and involvement on students behavioral, affective, and cognitive engagement across one school year. Based on a sample of 696 low SES elementary school students, results of our path analysis revealed that teacher involvement and autonomy-support contributed to various dimensions of classroom engagement. Besides, structure was not directly to this outcome. Yet, a combined use of autonomy-support and structure or autonomy-support and involvement was associated with higher behavioral engagement among low-SES children. These results suggest that teacher practices cannot be interpreted in isolation as they add up and interact to contribute to elementary school student academic experience.

Qualitative Research in Phoenix, AZ, Exploring Support for Public–Private Partnerships to Expand the Reach of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

BackgroundFruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption among school-aged children falls short of current recommendations. The development of public–private partnerships (PPPs) has been suggested as an effective approach to address a number of public health concerns, including inadequate F/V consumption. The US Department of Agriculture's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides F/V as snacks at least twice per week in low-income elementary schools. In addition to increasing F/V consumption behaviors at school, children participating in the FFVP make more requests for F/V in grocery stores and at home, suggesting the impact of the program extends beyond school settings. ObjectiveThis study explored the potential for establishing successful PPPs between schools and food retailers to promote the sales of F/V in low-income communities. DesignSemi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with participants from 4 groups of stakeholders. Participants/settingGrocery store and produce managers from 10 grocery stores, FFVP personnel from 5 school districts and 12 schools, and parents of children attending 3 different FFVP-participating schools, all in the Phoenix, AZ, metropolitan area participated in interviews and focus groups. Statistical analyses performedData were analyzed using a directed content analysis approach to examine benefits, barriers, and strategies for developing a PPP. ResultsKey perceived benefits of creating a PPP included the potential to increase store sales, to enhance public relations with the community, and to extend the impact of the FFVP to settings outside of schools. Barriers included offering expensive produce through the FFVP and the potential lack of communication among partners. Strategies for developing a PPP included using seasonal produce and having clear instructions for teachers and staff. Parents reported their children requesting more F/V as a result of FFVP participation. ConclusionsStakeholders support forming PPPs. Partnerships between FFVP schools and retailers can be mutually beneficial and have a positive impact on children and their families.

Impact Of Schoolyard Green Space And Hardscape Design On Play Behaviors Of Urban Children

Previous studies have shown that large-scale schoolyard greening projects increase physical activity (PA) participation. However, the relative impact of nature access and schoolyard design on free play behaviors is unknown. PURPOSE: To determine how green space and specific schoolyard design features impact individual and population-level PA and social behaviors during recess. METHODS: Recess behaviors were recorded with the validated SOPLAY and SOCARP observation tools for one week at four urban Title 1 elementary schools (N = 2051): 1) 1.5% green space, 10 zones; 2) 0% green space, 8 zones; 28% green space, 10 zones; 4) 50% green space, 8 zones. Data was analyzed with linear mixed models and Pearson correlation at a significance value of 0.05. RESULTS: Sedentary levels were higher for older students at locations with fewer play areas regardless of green space square footage (1st-3rd grade: 49.5±2.9%; 4th-6th grade: 59.7±3.1%) and lower for younger students in green compared to asphalt schoolyards (52.8±1.8 vs. 47.4±1.7%) (p<0.01). More students were engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) while playing tag (71.2±4.1%) or gymnastics/climbing/jumping/dance (58.1±3.3%) in green space and on play structures compared to traditional playground games (e.g. handball, 4-square, tetherball) on asphalt (45.6±1.7%) (p<0.001). Students spent more time in small groups (10.8±0.7 vs. 9.3±0.4 min, p<0.05) and in vigorous PA in green space vs. hardscape (2.3±0.2 vs. 1.1±0.1 min, p<0.05). Small group activity was positively correlated with the frequency of prosocial interactions (r=.158, p<0.001). In asphalt schoolyards, students spent more time vigorous when more play options were available (2.1±0.2 vs. 1.3±0.1 min, p<0.05). Although active minutes were similar between sexes in areas with trees, logs, and woodchips (girls: 4.8±0.4; boys: 5.4±0.7 min, p>0.05), boys spent more time active in both hardscape (girls: 3.6±0.2 vs. 4.9±0.2 min) and green space (girls: 5.0±0.8; boys: 6.9±0.8 min) areas designed for sport (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Schoolyards that increase access to nature, provide diverse sport and non-sport play options, and present motor skill challenges optimize MVPA participation and positive peer interactions for both sexes and all age-groups in urban low-income elementary schools.

School walkability index: Application of environmental audit tool and GIS

IntroductionActive school travel is an important way to promote children's physical activity, but it requires supportive environments that can safely and comfortably accommodate children's walking and biking. Few existing indices explicitly consider school neighborhood environmental factors related to children's walking to school. In this study, we used a street audit tool and Geographic Information System (GIS) to evaluate walkability near low-income elementary schools in Seattle, WA. MethodsThe audit-based school walkability index was developed based on all street segments (n = 841) within a 0.4 km network buffer from each study school (n = 18). The GIS-based school walkability, a combination of road connectivity, vehicular traffic exposure, and residential density, was also measured in a 2 km network buffer around each school. The participants were individuals aged 8–11 years (n = 315) who participated in the Walking School Bus randomized controlled trial project. Mixed-effects logistic and linear models were used to examine the association of the index's representations of the built environment with children's school travel mode (walking or biking to school 1+ times per week) and with objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA, average weekday minutes during the 90-min before-school period). These associations were tested with the total sample as well as the subsample of children living within 1.5 km from their schools. ResultsThe audit-based school walkability index (WI) was positively associated with both active commuting to school among the subsample living within 1.5 km from their schools and with children's before-school MVPA among the subsample and the total sample. The GIS-based school WI showed significant associations with children's before-school MVPA but no relationships with active school travel among the subsample and the total sample. ConclusionThe audit-based school walkability index can be used as a complementary tool for measuring walkability near low-income elementary schools along with existing GIS-based school walkability index.

Enacting a body-focused curriculum with young girls through an activist approach: Leveraging the after-school space

ABSTRACT Background: Many girls do not want to engage in physical activity (PA) in places that do not provide feelings of safety, comfort, or protection. Nor will they engage in PA if it might compromise gender norms and place them at risk of being teased by peers. Media influences (e.g. social media, advertisements) target young girls and circulate gender norms and stereotypes. Many girls may compare themselves to an ideal female body, portrayed in media as slender, fit, pretty, fashionable, and White. This comparison can lead to negative perceptions about their bodies, which may lead to body image dissatisfaction and low body-esteem. To align with the ideal socially-constructed female body, girls may seek to embody normative feminine characteristics. Researchers have implemented body-focused curricula as interventions to help young girls navigate perceived barriers to PA and engage girls in critical analysis of media’s representation of women. Purpose: By creating the GIRL (Gaining Insight through Reflective Learning) sessions, the purpose of this study was to explore how coaches in one after-school program implemented a body-focused curriculum for girls through an activist approach. Method: Nine fifth and sixth grade girls from one low-income elementary school in an urban California school district participated in this year-long after-school program. Data sources included: a researcher journal, field notes, participants’ journals, semi-structured student interviews, researcher and school district personnel correspondences, and participant artifacts. The researchers used an activist approach to create and implement the GIRL sessions to provide: (a) a place where girls could practice high levels of confidence and satisfaction with their bodies and; (b) a safe place in which girls could discuss various concerns regarding the body. Activities were developed to align with these goals and tailored to individual and group interests. Data were analyzed using constant comparative method. Findings: Keeping girls at the center of decision-making was essential for streamlining curricular initiatives and implementation. This was possible through a responsive curricular approach that facilitated a flexible space for girls to engage with the curriculum. Cultivating trust and safety was a key aspect of implementing the curriculum. This involved rethinking traditional coach-student roles. Coaches engaged in reflexive practices which helped determine real-time changes to consider each week, and sense short-comings in critical perspectives they wanted to engage in with participants. Conclusion: If research on activist approaches is significant for transformation and creating new possibilities for girls, these findings are important for detailing what this looked like in practice, how it might work moving forward, and how it could work for others. Ultimately, an activist approach is about teaming with girls to realize transformational change (Oliver and Kirk 2016, ‘Towards an activist approach to research and advocacy for girls and physical education.’ Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 21 (3): 313–327.). Our findings and discussion speak to the depth of trust needed to enact an activist approach. While GIRL coaches may have lacked critical perspectives to mitigate change, they demonstrated a dimension of cultivating trust through responsive pedagogy that may have been enhanced by the after-school space.

Universal Access to Free School Meals through the Community Eligibility Provision Is Associated with Better Attendance for Low-Income Elementary School Students in Wisconsin

BackgroundBeginning in 2014-2015, schools nationwide have had the option of offering free meals to all students in qualifying schools through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The CEP has been linked to greater likelihood of eating school meals, but little is known about its impact on broader outcomes. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to estimate the association between the CEP and school attendance among elementary school students (grades 1 to 5). DesignThis was a quasi-experimental study in which students’ attendance records were observed over 1 baseline and 2 follow-up years in a sample of CEP and eligible non-CEP schools. Participants/settingThe participants were elementary school students in Wisconsin during three consecutive school years beginning 2013-2014. The main sample included 92,126 observation-years for students in 37 CEP and 108 eligible non-CEP elementary schools. InterventionCEP-participating schools offered breakfast and lunch free to all students through the School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program beginning in 2014-2015. Main outcome measuresThe outcome measures were the attendance rate (defined as the percentage of school days attended) and low attendance (defined as attending fewer than 95% of available days) during the first and second implementation years. Statistical analyses performedDifference-in-difference regression models with student fixed effects were estimated, with separate impacts for the first and second CEP years. Models adjusted for time-varying school and student characteristics. ResultsImplementing the CEP had no association with attendance in the initial year. The second year of CEP was associated with a 3.5 percentage point reduction in the percentage of students with low attendance (P=0.045). An association between CEP and attendance was only found for economically disadvantaged students. ConclusionsOffering meals free to all students through the CEP may modestly reduce the risk of low attendance among economically disadvantaged students in participating schools.

Predicting Attrition in a Text-Based Nutrition Education Program: Survival Analysis of Text2BHealthy.

BackgroundText-based programs have been shown to effectively address a wide variety of health issues. Although little research examines short message service (SMS) text messaging program characteristics that predict participant retention and attrition, features of SMS text message programs, such as program duration and intensity, message content, and the participants’ context, may have an impact. The impact of stop messages—messages with instructions for how to drop out of an SMS text message program—may be particularly important to investigate.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe attrition from Text2BHealthy, a text-based nutrition and physical activity promotion program for parents of low-income elementary school children, and to determine the impact of message content and number of stop messages received on attrition.MethodsUsing data from 972 parents enrolled in Text2BHealthy, we created Kaplan-Meier curves to estimate differences in program duration for different SMS text message types, including nutrition, physical activity, stop, and other messages. Covariates, including rurality and number of stop messages received, were included.ResultsRetention rates by school ranged from 74% (60/81) to 95.0% (132/139), with an average retention rate of 85.7% (833/972) across all schools. Program duration ranged from 7 to 282 days, with a median program duration of 233 days and an average program duration of 211.7 days. Among those who dropped out, program duration ranged from 7 to 247 days, with a median program duration of 102.5 days. Receiving a stop message increased the probability of attrition compared with receiving messages about nutrition, physical activity, or other topics (hazard ratio=51.5, 95% CI 32.46-81.7; P<.001). Furthermore, each additional stop message received increased the probability of attrition (hazard ratio=10.36, 95% CI 6.14-17.46; P<.001). The degree of rurality also had a significant effect on the probability of attrition, with metropolitan county participants more likely to drop out of the program than rural county participants. The interaction between SMS text message type and total number of stop messages received had a significant effect on attrition, with the effect of the number of stop messages received dependent on the SMS text message type.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the potential of SMS text message programs to retain participants over time. Furthermore, this study suggests that the probability of attrition increases substantially when participants receive messages with instructions for dropping out of the program. Program planners should carefully consider the impact of stop messages and other program content and characteristics on program retention. Additional research is needed to identify participant, programmatic, and contextual predictors of program duration and to explicate the relationship between program duration and program efficacy.

Lessons Learned from an After-School Program: Building Personal and Social Responsibility

Drawing from the physical activity and positive youth development literatures, this paper describes a novel after-school effort designed to enhance youths’ life skill development outcomes across school, family, and community settings. This program, which is derived from the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model, is a university-assisted effort serving 1st through 5th graders attending a low-income elementary school. As a part of this model’s approach, pre-service physical education teachers engage in a yearlong course sequence and practicum that enables them to deliver the program. University graduate students and faculty then provide ongoing support, facilitation, and training to the pre-service teachers at the same time they conduct field-based research on the effort. The preliminary data indicate that the program can successfully impact several teaching and life skill development outcomes. However, additional interventions appear to be needed to extend youths’ outcomes to settings outside of the program.

Inserindo o conceito lixo zero e a economia sustentável em escolas públicas de Florianópolis

O projeto trata-se da continuação de outro, iniciado em 2016, que teve como objetivo a realização da semana Lixo Zero em uma escola de ensino básico de uma região de baixa renda na cidade de Florianópolis, a Escola Básica Municipal Donícia Maria da Costa. Em 2017, práticas de educação ambiental com foco nos conceitos Lixo Zero e Economia Circular e Solidária foram realizadas através de atividades conjuntas, como oficinas, construção de composteira, debates, questionários, mostras de filme, etc. O trabalho de educação ambiental teve resultados muito positivos, uma vez que toda a comunidade próxima foi atingida e as crianças do coletivo conseguiram gerar renda (economia solidária) a partir de uma feira, onde foram vendidos objetos elaborados pelos próprios participantes, nas oficinas. O projeto continua sendo aplicado em 2018, com objetivo principal de ajudar na instituição da Educação Ambiental no Plano Político Pedagógico.