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Registration opens for 500 Festival’s 2022 Free Youth Programs for Schools and Youth Organizations

Last Updated on August 31, 2021 by 500 Festival

INDIANAPOLIS – The 500 Festival, a nonprofit organization providing life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500®, today announces that registration is open for all 500 Festival youth programs for the 2021-2022 school year, which includes the following programs:

·        500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health

·        500 Festival KidsFit Program

·        500 Festival Mini-Moves Program

The 500 Festival’s youth programs are free to all Indiana schools and youth serving organizations. These resources and unique experiences are geared to help students explore the important role of the Indianapolis 500 in Indiana’s history and leverage the iconic OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon to inspire a culture of running and physical activity in Indiana youth.

“We are striving to ensure that Indiana youth develop a passion and excitement for the Indianapolis 500 and the 500 Festival while experiencing educational and meaningful programs that leave a lasting impact,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “We are thrilled to provide free programming for 100,000 Hoosier students annually and engage with these students as they embrace a culture of physical activity and learn about Indiana’s rich history and traditions surrounding the Indianapolis 500.”

Indiana K-12 educators and youth organization leaders can register their classes or groups for the following 500 Festival youth programs:

·        The Education Program | Grade 4 | Registration can be found here.

·        Mini-Moves | Grades K-12 | Registration can be found here.

·        KidsFit | Grades K-6 | Registration can be found here.

Education Program

Open to all Indiana fourth-grade classrooms, the 500 Festival & Indianapolis 500 Education Program, presented by Indiana University Health, is a free program that immerses students in the world of the Indianapolis 500 and 500 Festival, exploring their important place in Indiana’s history and culture. The lessons included in the program meet Indiana academic standards for language arts, health, math, science, social studies, visual arts, and physical education. The Education Program can be taught during the spring months and provides teachers with additional resources beyond the curriculum, including extra lesson ideas, study trips, engaging activities, supporting materials, and student items. To register your school or learn more about the Education Program, visit 500Festival.com/Education or search #500EdProg on social media.

KidsFit

The 500 Festival KidsFit Program encourages Indiana youth in kindergarten through sixth grade to be more active and pursue a healthy lifestyle through a mix of running and walking activities and in-class lessons. This youth fitness program is free to Indiana schools and groups and helps spark interest in walking and running. KidsFit participants complete Indianapolis 500 themed weekly lessons and by the end of the program, students will have completed 13.1 miles – the equivalent of a half marathon. The KidsFit Program meets Indiana academic standards for health and physical education. To register your school or group for KidsFit or to learn more, visit IndyMini.com/KidsFit. You can also see the program in action on social media by searching #500KidsFit.

Mini-Moves

Designed to further a culture of running, walking, and physical activity, the 500 Festival Mini-Moves Program is a free in-school program that equips Indiana K-12 teachers with the resources to help inspire physical activity and lifelong healthy habits in Hoosier youth. The program produced by the 500 Festival leverages the value of Indiana being the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon to encourage Indiana youth to become more active. Mini-Moves offers maximum flexibility for teachers, so it can be implemented over any course of time – a week, month, or the entire term. Students learn through a variety of in-class activities and individual goal setting exercises. To register your school or learn more about Mini-Moves, visit IndyMini.com/MiniMoves or search #MiniMovesIN on social media.

Support

The Indianapolis 500 & 500 Festival Education Program is supported by: Indiana University Health, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 500 Festival Foundation, Regions Bank, NTT IndyCar Series, and Corteva.

The 500 Festival Mini-Moves Program is supported by Community Health Network and the 500 Festival Foundation.  

Support of the 500 Festival KidsFit Program is provided by: Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield Foundation, AON, Crowe, and the 500 Festival Foundation. 

About the 500 Festival

Founded in 1957, the 500 Festival is a not-for-profit organization that produces more than 50 life-enriching events and programs while celebrating the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500 and fostering positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana. One of the largest festivals in the nation, each year more than half a million people attend an event or program produced by the 500 Festival. Since its founding, the 500 Festival has contributed more than $500 million in economic value to Indianapolis. To learn more about the 500 Festival, please visit www.500festival.com or follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram.

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