GoTrybe.com has given a gift to area students; one that will keep giving through the end of the school year. GoTrybe has donated free memberships to its Web-based health program for every student and teacher in 17 Northeast Tennessee school districts. Students and teachers have immediate access to GoTrybe’s online fitness, nutrition, motivation and wellness videos and content to use in school and at home through the end of June. Teachers have the ability to track student and class usage in their effort to meet the 90-minute physical activity mandate as set by the state of Tennessee.

“It’s all about the kids,” says GoTrybe Vice President of Creative Development Robert Baggett. “Our school site, GoTrybeTN, was available as part of a pilot program for 35 high schools over the past year. That program was supposed to end in December, but we didn’t want our users to lose access halfway through the school year.“

Last year’s pilot program, funded by a grant through the Center for Diabetes Prevention and Health Improvement and in conjunction with the Tennessee Department of Health, gave memberships to 30,000 high school students. Because of the success in area schools, GoTrybe will be donating the program to over 100,000 elementary, middle and high school students in these districts for the remainder of the school year.

Participating school districts include: Anderson, Blount, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Knox, Sevier, Washington, Sullivan and Loudon County Schools, as well as Greenville, Johnson, Kingsport and Maryville City Schools.

“We’re happy to announce that we’re adding elementary and middle schools into the mix,” Baggett says. “The younger schools have shown a tremendous amount of interest, especially after seeing the success within their high schools. Since GoTrybe consists of age-appropriate content for three different age groups, we’re definitely ready and excited for the younger users to come on board.”

The United States Surgeon General’s call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity names sedentary screen time as a major factor in childhood and adolescent weight problems; naming television, computer and video games as large contributors. In response to the sedentary screen time problem, GoTrybe has found a way to get users moving by developing Active Screen Time™ technology. With fitness videos and other health content available via the site, “Trybers” earn points as incentives to getting active. Points are redeemable for flash games and avatar upgrades.

“The GoTrybe Web site engages students in wellness by utilizing cutting-edge technology,” says Knox County Coordinated School Health Specialist Aneisa McDonald. “GoTrybe makes physical activity opportunities more accessible for students during the school day and at home. When I see our teachers utilize the GoTrybe program,” McDonald says. “I think about how lucky our school system is to be a part of history in the making.”

In addition to the online incentives, GoTrybe has provided prizes over the past year for top scoring schools, teachers and students. Among the 35 participating high schools, around $10,000 in prizes have been awarded based on point totals and activity times. Prizes have included laptops, projectors, iPods, T-shirts and cash prizes. Competitions will be available for participating schools this spring.

“In an ideal world, children would exercise and be active simply because they want to,” says Cardiologist and GoTrybe co-founder Dr. Chris Downs. “Unfortunately for a lot of today’s youth, it takes a little enticing to get them away from the sedentary lifestyle that a lot of technology brings. We have found a way to use technology as the medium to fitting exercise into their daily routines. If we have to provide incentives to get them moving, then so be it. We’re willing to do whatever it takes.”

GoTrybe is scheduled to launch a statewide program with the Indiana Department of Health and is currently in discussion with schools in the state of North Carolina. Over the past year, GoTrybe has worked with the state of Tennessee to make the site appropriate for school and state needs. With a new version of the site launching on or before Feb. 2, 2009, new features will be offered that will make it even more effective for school and state use. Additionally, with increased social and functional opportunities, the GoTrybe staff expects a smooth transition into the new site.

Even though the program is being provided for one school semester, GoTrybe does not plan on stopping efforts there.

“Our goal is to provide continuous access for these users into the 2009-2010 school year,” says Baggett. “We’re diligently working to get funding in hopes of providing GoTrybe to these schools and for schools across the state for next school year. In the meantime, we are willing to work with interested schools to make GoTrybe available in the most affordable way.”

For more information on getting GoTrybe into your school, contact info@gotrybe.com. Then visit www.GoTrybe.com to sign up for a free 7-day trial and see what the GoTrybe program has to offer.