In 1999, charter school legislation in Arizona gave Carolyn Sawyer the opportunity to establish Champion Schools and create a full K-5 curriculum focusing on strategies that best support children’s learning. When school began, however, she discovered some glaring deficiencies in many of the students. The children were not prepared to learn.
Students lacked core strength and fine motor skills to utilize pencils and scissors adequately. The school engaged an occupational therapist and together they worked on intervention strategies to support learning. The connection between motor skills development and academic performance became more apparent as she observed that 75% of the children entering kindergarten did not have the readiness skills to effectively learn.
At the same time, teachers started a small after school sports program. The students' response was tremendously positive. Test scores increased along with the students' physical development. It inspired Carolyn to shift the focus of the school to provide rigorous athletic training and competition to students, many of who did not have easy access to these opportunities.
Fit Kids, Inc was incorporated on May 7, 2007 as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization designed to establish schools, help brand the Champion Schools name, and to support programs that support a sport-centric model, developing kids mentally and physically.
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