500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health, & 500 Festival KidsFit Program Registration Deadline set for Friday, October 5

 

INDIANAPOLIS (October 4, 2018) – The 500 Festival, a nonprofit organization providing life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500®, reminds Indiana’s educators that the deadline to register for the 2019 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health and the 500 Festival KidsFit Program is Friday, Oct. 5.

 

The 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health, is a free program that immerses Indiana 4^th grade students in the world of the Indianapolis 500 and 500 Festival, exploring their important place in Indiana’s history and culture. The Education Program takes place during the spring and is open to all Indiana 4th grade classrooms. The 500 Festival provides teachers registered for the Education Program with engaging lessons and classroom materials, for free. More than a field trip, the Education Program is a combination of in-class curriculum – based on Indiana Academic Standards – and an optional Study Trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway or a Mobile Study Trip to your school, bringing the classroom lessons to life. Study Trips and Mobile Trips are also available at no cost to schools. Fourth grade teachers can register their classroom HERE.

 

“The 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health, is such an important part of our mission to enrich lives by celebrating the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “It’s a very meaningful educational experience when you can combine a world-renowned event like the Indy 500 with valuable learning opportunities for nearly 30,000 4^th graders around the state of Indiana.”

 

New for 2019, the 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health, will be enhancing the STEM portion of the curriculum through a partnership with Indianapolis Soap Box Derby. Each classroom registered for the 2019 education program will receive a soap box derby mini car that will be used with the Science of Racing activity through the program.

 

In conjunction with the Education Program, and in an effort to fight childhood obesity, the 500 Festival KidsFit Program teaches Indiana youth to be more active and pursue a healthy lifestyle. KidsFit helps spark interest in walking and running, and encourages fitness-related activities among Hoosier kids and their families.

 

Teachers are provided with the free, customizable KidsFit curriculum, which meets the Indiana Department of Education’s Academic Standards for Health and Physical Education. Program participants complete weekly lessons and run or walk one mile every week using the “Start Your Engines” kids’ running plan. When they complete the program, they will have logged 13.1 miles - the equivalent of a half marathon.

 

“The KidsFit Program is another extension of our mission in the areas of youth fitness,” added Bryant. “The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is our largest fundraiser, and as the producers of one of the nation’s largest half marathons, our mission also focuses on getting Indianapolis and Indiana healthy and active. That starts at a young age, and the KidsFit Program plays a key role in our youth fitness initiatives.”

 

The KidsFit Program will culminate when participants in grades 4-6 are invited to Indianapolis to log their final 3.1 miles as part of the KidsFit Final 5K, held on the morning of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. Students will finish at the same finish line as the 35,000 participants who run the Mini-Marathon and 5K each year, complete with grandstands filled with cheering fans and families. For a select number of schools, the KidsFit Program culminates with a Mobile Run hosted at their school. The Mobile Runs are produced by the 500 Festival and are offered at no cost to schools. The Mobile Runs provide a fun opportunity for students to celebrate the conclusion of the program and their accomplishments. Teachers interested in registering for the KidsFit program can do so HERE.

 

There is no cost to participate in the Education Program or KidsFit Program, but each classroom must register before Friday, Oct. 5 to receive the updated curriculum and be eligible for study trips, mobile trips, KidsFit Final 5K, and Mobile Runs.

 

To learn more about the Education Program, visit 500Festival.com/EducationProgram.

 

To learn more about the KidsFit Program, visit IndyMini.com/KidsFit.

 

Support of the 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health, is provided by: Indiana University Health, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 500 Festival Foundation, Methodist Health Foundation, Regions Bank, Verizon IndyCar Series and Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC.

 

Support of the 500 Festival KidsFit Program is provided by: Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield Foundation, AON, Crowe LLC, PNC Bank and the 500 Festival Foundation.

 

About the 500 Festival

Founded in 1957, the 500 Festival is a not-for-profit organization that produces life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500® and foster positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana. One of the largest festivals in the nation, each year more than half a million people attend an event or program produced by the 500 Festival. Since its founding, the 500 Festival has contributed more than $400 million in economic value to Indianapolis. To learn more about the 500 Festival, please visit www.500festival.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 

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