Bridget O’Leary, American Heart Association 
Bridget.Oleary@heart.org 

Catherine Boyle, NFL 
Catherine.Boyle@NFL.com 

— Minnesota Vikings’ Everson Griffen and Kyle Rudolph, and AHA volunteer Dr. Courtney Baechler take students nationwide on a journey to learn how the heart really works and how they can boost heart health with 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day —

Silver Spring, Md. (Thursday, September 21, 2017) – Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, together with the National Football League and the American Heart Association, have collaborated to inspire physically active lifestyles in schools and homes across the country. The NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Experience: Your Roadmap to a Healthy Heart, announced today, will premiere on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. ET, providing students nationwide with the tools they need to get 60 minutes or more of physical activity needed each day.  

“Following the success of the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Field Trip at the Super Bowl LI in February, we are excited to team again with the American Heart Association and Discovery Education to teach more students the importance of getting physically active,” said NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility ANNA ISAACSON. “As we celebrate ten years of NFL PLAY 60, we look forward to advancing progress and building healthier generations of youth through fun and innovative platforms such as the Virtual Experience.”

The virtual experience will allow students to get up and get moving with Minnesota Vikings players EVERSON GRIFFEN and KYLE RUDOLPH, and AHA volunteer and cardiologist Dr. Courtney Baechler. NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Experience hosts will teach students how the heart works and how physical activity helps to keep it strong. During the immersive virtual experience, students will learn exciting new facts while having fun and getting physically active with NFL players.

“The video helps us emphasize that kids can get active and helps them learn how much being physically active matters, all in a curriculum that’s easy to use in schools,” said AHA volunteer and cardiologist DR. COURTNEY BAECHLER. “I’m so honored to be a part of this project with the American Heart Association, the NFL, and Discovery Education. Empowering kids with this knowledge and teaching healthy habits early is a great first step to leading a long, heart-healthy life.”

Available at no cost to classrooms nationwide, the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Experience includes a virtual viewing party guide and a classroom activity designed to get the entire classroom up and moving.

“Discovery Education is proud to team up with the American Heart Association and the National Football League to inspire student’s health and wellbeing in schools and homes nationwide,” said Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Discovery Education LORI MCFARLING. “The NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Experience provides educators and students with a fitness-focused immersive experience that empowers them with the tools they need to succeed.”

To register for the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Experience: Your Roadmap to a Healthy Heart, please visit aha-nflplay60challenge.org/roadmap. The video will also be available after the premiere for “on demand viewing.”

Join the conversation! Educators and their students can join a LIVE Twitter chat to get questions answered by @NFLPlay60, @American_Heart, @DiscoveryEd and other featured participants using #GetMovingPLAY60. Educators can also submit their students' questions ahead of time for the chance to have them answered during the live conversation, and Twitter chat participants can post photos of their students participating in the Challenge using #GetMovingPLAY60. Challenge participants have the opportunity to win a PLAY 60 in-a-box kit, which includes physical activity equipment from the NFL! For more information on the program or to access the site’s free resources, visit aha-nflplay60challenge.org.  

Materials are also available through Discovery Education Streaming Plus. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit discoveryeducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.

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About Discovery Education:
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.

About NFL PLAY 60:
For a decade, NFL PLAY 60 has brought together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations to increase physical activity among youth. Since the program was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed more than $350 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for public service announcements. The NFL and its teams have constructed more than 250 NFL Youth Fitness Zones and integrated programs into nearly 80,000 schools since the campaign launched. NFL PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit NFL.com/PLAY60.

About the American Heart Association:
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke –  the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Discovery Education, the National Football League and the American Heart Association Inspire a Healthier Generation with “NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Experience: Your Roadmap to a Healthy Heart” Premiere appeared first on Discovery Education.