Junior Coach Conference to Celebrate Youth Leaders in Jackson

Playworks Jackson uses recess and play to improve student behavior, provide opportunities for social/emotional development and make physical activity fun

JACKSON — Students from seven Jackson Public Schools will come together at the Playworks Annual Junior Coach Conference to celebrate young leadership, healthy play and citizenship. This year, Playworks will honor close to 100 4^th and 5^th grade leaders who have been members of the Playworks Junior Coach program throughout the school year. Through the program, these students have demonstrated outstanding leadership, character and contributions to their schools.

Playworks uses five components—Recess, Class Game Time, Out of School program, Interscholastic Leagues, and the Junior Coach program—to foster respect, inclusion, healthy community and healthy play in an entire school community. Playworks builds leadership into play through the Playworks Junior Coach program, which encourages teams of students to work together to learn games, fair play and positive conflict resolution and to teach these skills and lessons appropriately to their classmates. The Junior Coach program improves students’ self-esteem, social behavior and desire to do better in school.

WHERE:               Johnson Elementary School    1339 Oak Park Drive    Jackson, MS 39213

WHEN:                 Saturday, April 21, 2012        9:30 am-12:30 pm

VISUALS:             Dozens of elementary students playing rock-paper-scissors, running games and learning leadership skills.

Team Building and conflict resolution activities and games lead by enthusiastic Playworks Coaches.

4^th and 5^th grade students committing to a life of leadership and community service while reciting the Junior Coach Pledge.

INTERVIEWS:     Playworks staff are available for on-site interviews.  All Junior Coaches have signed media releases.

Playworks is a national nonprofit organization that supports learning by providing safe, healthy and inclusive play and physical activity to schools at recess and throughout the entire school day. The program is currently in more than 300 schools in 23 US cities, and serves more than 130,000 students in low-income, urban schools every day. For more information, visit www.playworks.org