Mckinley moves! a unique and sustainable school-university partnership for physical activity and health

McKinley Moves! is the newest component of Salud Familiar en McKinley – a unique and sustainable partnership between a low-income elementary school and the public health program of the university two miles away. Founded in 2007, Salud Familiars signature programs include 10 Family Health events per year; weekly health education clubs for mothers, girls, and young children; and a food distribution program that serves 110 families per month through partnership with the local food bank. In 2011, McKinley Moves! was added to Salud Familiar, stimulated in part by the low and decreasing performance of McKinley 5th graders on the annual state physical fitness test and the profound lack of resources or options for physical activity. The overall goal of McKinley Moves! was to significantly and sustainably increase the amount, variety, resources, and enjoyment of physical activity in this underserved school community. Our multi-layered strategy brought physical activity into all family health events and club meetings, engaged mothers in new kinds of physical activity they could to for themselves and with their families, and created an expectation and enjoyment of fun through movement and regular physical activity throughout the school setting and culture. Highlights include an innovative summer program, 5th grade PE demonstration project, and interaction with university athletes. Process and outcome evaluation methods will be discussed, as will outcome data showing that the partnership between college students, the school, and the families is affordable, sustainable, effective, and fun.