I Am Moving, I Am Learning
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I Am Moving, I Am Learning (IMIL) is a proactive approach for addressing childhood obesity in Head Start children. IMIL seeks to increase moderate to vigorous physical activity everyday, improve the quality of movement activities intentionally planned and facilitated by adults, and promote healthy food choices everyday.
- Dr. Linda Carson, Ware Distinguished Professor at West Virginia University (WVU), trainer for IMIL, created a child wellness character named Choosy who has become the signature feature of her community outreach programs at WVU, as well as a popular choice for the growing IMIL community. Dr. Carson, has assembled a team of expert trainers in a WV training company, Choosy Kids, who offer staff development training for early care and education of young children birth to five years.
- IMIL was introduced by Region III as a childhood obesity prevention pilot project in West Virginia and Virginia in 2004 and 2005.
- The West Virginia Head Start Association was the first Head Start organization to deliver statewide training focused on the IMIL childhood obesity prevention initiative.
- In 2006, Dr. Linda Carson of WVU and Amy Requa, Region III Head Start TA System, ICF International were the recipients of the ACF Partnering for Excellence Award.
- Choosy Kids was selected as the National IMIL training team to help raise awareness of IMIL strategies in all 12 federal regions.
- In 2007, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc released a preliminary report summarizing the implementation of IMIL in federal Region III.
- By May 2008, all Head Start regions have been introduced to IMIL training. These training events have reached over 2000 Head Start trainers, teachers and technical support personnel with a potential final impact of over 250,000 Head Start children being introduced to the three goals and strategies of IMIL.
- In May 2008, teams of IMIL facilitators from each region were trained in an effort to bring IMIL to every Head Start program across the country in an expedited way.