NEWS RELEASE Paige Stefanski, Associate Coordinator

paige.stefanski@kidsworkitout.org
February 10, 2017 Mary Ann McCourt, Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE maryann.mccourt@kidsworkitout.org
248-506-3285

TEN MINUTES IS ALL IT TAKES FOR YOGA-RECESS DAY WITH WORK IT OUT

Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out is facilitating Yoga-Recess Day throughout Detroit schools.

DETROIT --- Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out (DKWIO) invites our community partners to join
us for Yoga-Recess Day Friday, February 24, 2017. This event encourages school teachers to
integrate 10 minutes of yoga into their teaching schedule or recess.

This national campaign allows children to benefit from mindfulness, breathing and stretching
exercises during the school day. Created by the Yoga Health Foundation, Yoga-Recess is a
movement intended for school-age students to dedicate a recess session to yoga. Teachers can
receive free educational program materials by signing up on the website.

Work It Out will be leading this event in Detroit by hosting live in-school yoga sessions. During
their regularly scheduled recess, the students of these schools will learn fun yoga flows and
special breathing techniques.

Participation in this event is simple. Detroit schools will commit to 10 minutes of breathing and
yoga on Yoga-Recess Day, and sign a waiver and permission slip. Placement of Work It Out
yoga volunteers is based on schedule and availability. Schools that commit by Friday, February
17, are eligible to receive affirmation bracelets for all participants. Work It Out is proud to
support this campaign and bring it to our community, schools and partners.

Yoga is shown to have a positive impact on children and their learning. In 2013, Wayne State
University’s Center for School Health conducted a study with students that had completed the
Work It Out program. They found that 60 percent of the surveyed students used new skills to
concentrate more in the classroom.

Work It Out, established in 2005, seeks to combat childhood obesity through the use of yoga and
nutrition education. Students in elementary schools learn what it takes to keep their bodies
healthy and happy. By the end of 2016, Work It Out provided programming to 7,500 students in
Southeast Michigan. To learn about how to support Work It Out, contact Mary Ann McCourt at
313-782-4068 or maryann.mccourt@kidsworkitout.org.

The mission of Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out in partnership with the DMC Children’s
Hospital of Michigan is to promote optimum health in mind, body and spirit through a
comprehensive yoga-based approach that reduces anxiety, prevents childhood obesity
and increases self-esteem. DKWIO is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that delivers
quality programming to give children the tools to make healthy choices.

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