A World Fit For Kids!

Results: As the organization’s evaluations have shown, students equipped with these skills and tools are more motivated to graduate and pursue higher education, closing the achievement gap that exists for so many disadvantaged communities. Young people of all ages in WFIT programs receive a wealth of resources to prepare them for progression through school. WFIT elementary students performed better on their year-end standardized tests and increased their moderate-to-vigorous physical activity within the school year, and teens are assisted in developing a plan to achieve their post-secondary education goals. The teens completing WFIT’s program are engaged and ready for higher education, the workforce, and a healthy, prosperous future.

Target demographics: Annually, WFIT serves 10,000 elementary, middle and high school students at 11 Title I schools (where 84% of the students come from economically disadvantaged homes).

Geographic areas served: WFIT’s afterschool sites are located in diverse communities of Los Angeles, Eagle Rock and the San Fernando Valley.

Programs: Annually, WFIT serves 10,000 elementary, middle and high school students at 11 Title I schools (where 84% of the students come from economically disadvantaged homes). WFIT’s distinctive youth development mentoring model helps young people push beyond self-imposed limitations, refine existing skills and develop new ones. A key example of WFIT’s successful model is the Teen Mentors in Motion℠ (MiM) Program, which provides healthy behaviors and youth development training, job shadowing, community service and internship opportunities to teens. They also receive mentoring, tutoring/academic assistance, and a variety of enrichment activities to support them in discovering their own capacity for success. Because WFIT provides services in some of the most disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles, many of WFIT’s students face challenges outside of the educational system – including a lack of healthy adult role models and opportunities to be physically active in a safe environment. To address these issues head-on, the MiM Program intentionally integrates nutrition education, physical activity leadership training, and mentoring. By adopting healthy habits and modeling these behaviors, MiM teens are positively influencing their peers and younger generations who struggle to break past socioeconomic barriers. With nearly 20 years of experience serving students from low-income communities of Los Angeles, WFIT receives numerous inquiries from other youth-service providers who are interested in replicating WFIT’s program model in their areas. While WFIT’s afterschool programming is only available in the Greater Los Angeles area, WFIT maximizes its impact, reach and sustainability by offering WFIT’s training and expertise according to a replicable model that can reach young people all over the world by partnering with a network of service providers. The process starts with WFIT’s Master Trainers who guide other youth-serving professionals and organizations on how to teach and incorporate WFIT’s healthy behaviors and personal empowerment program model. Through a hands-on approach, participants gain skills to integrate sound nutrition, physical activity and youth development practices and principles into their own lives and their youth programming. Participants can use the tools, knowledge and techniques they learn from WFIT to impact even more young people in the future. Through its training division, WFIT is creating a sustainable, accessible way for others to achieve WFIT’s same breakthrough results.