From May 1 to August 31, participants can log their journeys. The process is extremely easy. First, you join the challenge. You can do this by clicking here. From here, you’ll begin to track your miles! There are two ways to go about it:

• Endomondo App: If you have a smart phone, you may download the Endomondo App free of charge. This app tracks your routes, tells you how many calories you burn, notes change in elevation, and records your average speed. Another great feature is that is pauses when you are stopped as to not affect your average speed. This app can also be used for other activities such as running, skiing, swimming, and more!

*Note: Anything logged by the app will automatically translate to your online account.

• Online Endomondo Account: Riders may also log their ride by signing into their Endomondo accounts and manually entering their ride with the websites riding log entry. Looking for extra support and encouragement? You are also able to complete this challenge in teams. Whether it is a group of coworkers, members from your organization, or just family and friends, this is a great way to promote a healthy lifestyle with those around you.

Still not quite motivated? What if we tell you there are prizes involved? Everyone who is a part of this challenge is entered into the prize program. Each time a rider logs their distance for a given day, they start accumulating challenge points. When you reach a certain level, you are automatically entered into the prize drawing. Click here for more information on the prizes and how the challenge points work.

Even if you decide to take this challenge on by yourself, you’re still far from alone. To date, almost 22,000 people have joined this challenge logging over 1.1 million miles. To put this into an even bigger perspective, they have helped the environment by saving over 1 million pounds of Carbon Dioxide and cumulatively, these riders have also saved over 224,000 dollars.

The Endomondo website provides many helpful resources. It’s also a great way for members to see how others are doing. The leaderboard shows how individual riders, teams, workplaces, communities, and states are progressing. It also allows riders to leave comments to each other. Many people take this time to share their stories and leave encouraging thoughts to other members.

Whether it’s a ride to work or school or just a fun ride with your family and friends, this challenge is a good way to make a difference in your life. May is National Bike Month, a great opportunity to be a part of a powerful movement. It’s time to start pedaling.

We wanted to make sure she was ready and well prepared! The following are some of the items included in our send-off.

Last month, the Fresh for Florida Kids Garden was unveiled in Tallahassee, Florida. A group of children helped Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Adam Putnam and Gardener, Nathan Ballentine planted the garden all the while discussing the importance of healthy eating habits. They even went a step further and planted the garden in the shape of the new USDA icon, MyPlate! What a great way to bring awareness to such an important topic and share knowledge with children and the community.

If we allow children to be a part of the process, it keeps them engaged and their interest increases. It becomes more real to them when they take part in growing and caring for their own fruits and vegetables.

Research shows that children who participate in gardening are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

Doesn’t get much better than that! To learn more about this garden, watch this great video of the announcement. Adam Putnam does a great job of explaining the benefits of this garden and how it will impact the entire city of Tallahassee.

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month includes many individual observances. Take a look at some below:

May 1-7: National Physical Education and Sport Week

This year’s theme is Let’s Move in School.  Schools around the country are joining in to help students achieve one hour of physical activity each day.

May 13-19: National Women’s Health Week.

This year’s theme is “It’s Your Time.”  It emphasizes the importance of physical health and encourages women to make health their top priority.

May 14-18: Bike to Work Week

You can find more resources listed at bikeleague.com.   See how many of your co-workers you can get on board. We have a few veteran cyclists here at Learning Zone, so I’m sure we will all be participating!

May 19th: National Kids to Parks Day

You can take a pledge to visit a park on May 19th at www.kidstoparks.org. No one said physical activity couldn’t be fun!

To learn more about any of these observances or how you can get involved, visit www.fitness.gov. For resources you can use to spread the word and promote physical activity, visit www.learningzonexpress.com.

The awards program recognizes entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. These business leaders were selected from a strong pool of nominations by a panel of independent judges. Award winners will be announced at a special gala on June 14, 2012, at the Marriott City Center in Minneapolis.

The Upper Midwest region includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. We were excited to hear that 17 of the 26 finalists are from Minnesota. Our winters may be rough, but we sure do have a lot of talent!

We’d like to extend a big Congratulations to all of the finalists! The full list can be seen here.

We know that baked goods, candy bars and popcorn can make for popular fundraisers – but is it counterproductive to promote healthy choices and yet lean on old less-healthy standards for raising money? Wouldn’t some friends and family be happier to support your team, school and effort without the added calories?!

We had some ideas we wanted to share – some borrowed from the original list out of New York:

• Have a walk-a-thon or dance-a-thon, bike-a-thon, hula-hoop-a-thon, etc.
• Have a holiday flower or plant sale (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.)
• Have a secondhand bike sale – families bring in unwanted bikes, maybe a class or      group of parents and kids could work to fix and/or spruce up the bikes to sell
• Sell school logo gear (reusable water bottles, clothing, mugs)
• Car wash – great exercise, good money
• Host a family night out – have older students host a movie night at the school
• Host an event for parents, could be a dinner, could be a sporting event, dance lessons anything – parents pay for activity plus premium to go to the      school. (You might get a host to donate services or food.)
• Have a White Elephant auction – invite kids to bring in items from home to sell at a school auction
• Sell objets d’art from the art class – open it up to the community (great for money and boosting esteem in budding artists)
• Create a spring cleaning crew to up local residents with lawn work and general spring cleanup chores

Done right a fundraiser can be a great opportunity to teach kids about finances, budgeting and management as well as introduce topics that help them understand socially responsible businesses.

We’d love to hear some of your good ideas too.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) adopts science-based nutrition standards for all foods and beverages served and sold in schools;

Schools have the resources they need to train cafeteria employees and replace outdates and broken kitchen equipment; and

USDA develops and implements rigorous school food safety policies.

Their goal is simply “to improve the safety and nutrition value of foods kids eat at school.” To do this, they have developed letters to Congress. Supporters can simply go to the site, fill out their information, customize their letter if they wish, and send it off.

Their current petitions are:

Support Fruit and Vegetable Snacks in Schools!- The UDSA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides millions of elementary students with fresh and healthy snacks. The results of this program are significant, and the USDA is working to improve it. By sending a letter of support, you can help teach students about the importance of fruits and vegetables. You can help get more schools involved in this program reaching more and more children.

Improving children’s dietary habits through programs like this one will help kids stay healthy, reducing their risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other serious chronic diseases.

Safe and Healthy School Foods Now!- With this petition, you can send a note to Congress in support of well-balanced, nutrition meals being served in schools.  Help ensure that all schools are providing students with healthy options by voicing your support.

For those of you wanting to make your voice heard, this is a great opportunity to do so. Stand up for healthier children. For a healthier future.

Act now at http://www.healthyschoolfoodsnow.org/

Listen to her interview about making nutrition fun for kids here!

If you’ve been looking for nutrition education materials for your home, office or classroom now is the time to buy. These promotions are only a week long, so you’ll want to act fast. The first week features a set of five ‘More Color’ posters for just $25 as well as a Move! poster for only $5.

More information about this Spring Cleaning Sale can be found online at http://www.learningzonexpress.com/c-506-spring-cleaning-sale.aspx. For more company news, events and sale updates join Learning ZoneXpress on Facebook.

• StopBullying.gov – a great resources for schools, parents, kids and people who care for kids. Starts with warning signs of bullying and provides a wide range of helpful resources.
• Keenan West – Never End – video appealing to kids, calling for kids to unite and stand up for each other
• Bullying (52 Brilliant Ideas) – a free Kindle book for parents
• Anti-Defamation League – Policy and Program Recommendations on Confronting Bullying and Cyberbullyinig
• Cyberbullying Toolkit for Educators: Standup, Don’t Stand By – a video
• Summary of Findings: CSN Bullying Prevention Environmental Scan – they asked 5 questions about anti-bullying policies and procedures and present their findings

Learning ZoneXpress had a few items to add to the list:

• 7 Ways to Block a Cyberbully DVD – details seven effective strategies for dealing with a digital bully. (Includes video for students and adults)
• Teen Cyberbullying Investigated Book –a guide to help young people understand what cyberbullying is and is not, recognize when they may be its victims or perpetrators, and learn tactics for successfully dealing with it.

If you have a resource to share, please let us know or consider submitting it to the StopBullying.gov database of resources.