Kaho`omiki manages an after school physical activity and nutrition program that reaches 18,000 children in 173 elementary schools statewide, called Fun 5. Kaho`omiki plans to expand the effectiveness of Fun 5 by adding a Family Fitness Lab, where children and parents can be active together in an innovative program of tested physical activities and interactive communication. No such program currently exists in the state.

Please describe your innovation?

The state of Hawai`i has a unique statewide afterschool program for elementary school children, called A+. This program provides latch-key children with a safe, supervised afterschool environment of physical activity, study time, social interaction and information about healthy eating. Given that childhood obesity is an extensive problem in Hawai`i, A+ provides an excellent format to engage children in fun, active play, good social interaction and nutrition education. Kaho`omiki has been successfully managing Fun 5 within the A+ program for more than five years, and is now working to expand the effectiveness of Fun 5 by engaging family members in the same message through a laboratory-type setting where parents and children interact together. It will utilize existing site facilities in the late afternoon when the facilities are usually vacant, supplementing A+ personnel with persons who can lead the families in fun, active play and healthy nutrition activities each afternoon.

What is the problem or situation that your innovation seeks to address?

The problem is two-fold: HOW to more effectively address the issue of childhood obesity in the Islands; and HOW to engage the family in the effort to combat obesity. Childhood obesity is a serious problem in Hawai`i; Fun 5 addresses the issue through a statewide obesity-prevention program that targets elementary school children in 173 schools statewide. This program includes extensive ideas and examples of engaging the children in physical activity -- the goal is 30 minutes of vigorous activity five days a week. Fun 5 also include hands-on nutrition education and preparation of healthy snacks for the children, focusing on five servings per day of fruits and vegetables. Through the lab experience, Kaho`omiki expects to engage adult family members in the message of healthy living by having them become involved in the physical activity and better nutrition experience of their children.

What effort have you made to test out your new idea?

Various aspects of the plan have been used before in Fun 5 and other settings (e.g., Dance Dance Revolution, social media communication, after-school child-parent activities), but no innovative effort to combine multiple concepts into a single program have been made or tested. Kaho`omiki and its partners have searched local, national and international data bases and other similar resources for family-involvement programs that encourage physical activity and healthy eating. To date, we have been unable to find an evidence-based program that might fill this need. Our partners at the University of Hawaii and the University of California at San Diego have assisted in this search, and it is their contention that we must proceed with a plan that might incorporate aspects of other programs but is, in essence, a new and more comprehensive approach.

What is particularly noteworthy or novel about your innovation?

First, no such program currently exists in Hawaii (or elsewhere that we could identify). Second, the Fitness Lab experience is based on a child-leading-parent relationship (with professional supervision) wherein they jointly engage in fun, active physical activities and healthy nutrition activities each afternoon. Parents usually pick up their children from A+ between 5 pm and 5:30 pm. The sessions will start every ten minutes (5, 5:10 and 5:20 pm, enabling the children to invite their parents to come in and have fun with them in hands-on, non-competitive physically active games, dances, exercises and nutrition activities. Parents and children can then track their activity on a specially designed app for tablets, Iphones or other devices, and can, if they so choose, share their activities with others through social media. Engaging elementary school children in their own health and wellness is challenging without also involving the family to support and reinforce the message.

What impact do you expect your innovation will have on the problem or situation described in the previous question?

We fully believe that in most situations, involvement of adult family members in periodic activities that reinforce what the children learn about physical activity and nutrition will strengthen the impact of the Fun 5 program while also showing significant improvement in the overall health of the family. A companion evaluation project (using the specially designed APP) will track Fitness Lab activities at each of the schools.

What other community partners will you need if your innovation is to scale beyond your organization?

Kaho`omiki currently is partnering with the State Department of Education, and with A+ program providers (Ka`amaina Kids, the YMCA, DreamCo, Moiliili Community Center and YCS) and other community organizations in the implementation of Fun 5. Kaho`omiki also partners with SPARK (a research-based public health organization dedicated to creating and implementing programs that promote lifelong wellness) from the University of California at San Diego, in the implementation of the physical activity portion of Fun 5, and with the Culinary Arts Department of Kapiolani Community College for the healthy nutrition activities, and with the University of Hawaii in the evaluation of the overall program's effectiveness. These partners will be part of the Fitness Lab component, as well, and will, in fact, provide assistance in its refinement and implementation.

Why are your organization, partners, and key personnel suited to take on this project?

Kaho`omiki and its partners currently operate the Fun 5 program within A+ in 173 schools statewide. These community organizations have a long history working with children and families, and bring their knowledge to guarantee the success of the Fun 5 Family Fitness Lab. The Department of Education structure will give the Lab the necessary infrastructure to run this community family program. As a result, an extensive network of individuals trained in the principles of Fun 5 already is in place within the A+ after-school program. This same network, with some obviously needed supplement, and subsequent training, will be drawn upon to implement the Fun 5 Family Fitness Lab. Since Kaho`omiki already meets twice yearly with all group leaders in comprehensive training sessions, the addition of the Family Fitness Lab activities and personnel will be facilitated by this activity.