WinterKids Announces Opening of Winter Games Application Window for Maine Schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Julie Mulkern, Executive Director
(207) 871-5700 x102 or (207) 671-4661
jmulkern@winterkids.org
October 10, 2023 | Westbrook, ME – WinterKids, the non-profit organization dedicated to helping children develop healthy lifelong habits through education and fun outdoor winter activities, is excited to announce the opening of the application window for the 2024 WinterKids Winter Games. WinterKids will select 16 schools (one per Maine county) to compete in the 4-week competition taking place from January 8-February 2, 2024.
The Winter Games is a fun, academic challenge promoting outdoor physical activity, teamwork, and a love of all things winter for children in grades Preschool through 8. Each of the four weeks has a different focus-outdoor physical activity, nutrition, family engagement, and winter celebration, with schools earning points to win cash prizes.
Participating schools will receive a free, comprehensive toolkit, complete with PLAYBooks, 4 weekly incentives, Winter Games wristbands, and more! The theme for this year’s Winter Games is The Little Things. Throughout The Games, children and adult participants alike will see that little things can make a big difference in how we look at, and are seen in, the world.
“We have a great program lined up for January,” says Executive Director Julie Mulkern, “and we encourage all elementary schools to apply to be a part of it! The Winter Games program encourages healthy outdoor activity and will make the month of January fly by for students and teachers alike!”
Cash prizes will be awarded to all competing schools, with the top school earning $ 5,000! In all, WinterKids will share over $20,000 in cash and prizes to these schools.
The application is open until October 23, 2023. Interested schools and teachers can find more information and access the Winter Games 2024 application by visiting WinterKids.org
The 2024 WinterKids Winter Games are presented by Hannaford Snack Pals. Weekly sponsors are Aroma Joe’s, Backyard Farms, and Wyman’s. Contributing sponsors are Kittery Trading Post, Stockhouse Restaurant & Sports Pub, and MMG Insurance.
ABOUT WINTERKIDS
WinterKids is a nonprofit organization based in Maine that provides children with opportunities to stay active, healthy, and learn outdoors during the winter months. Since its establishment in 1997, WinterKids has been dedicated to ensuring that hundreds of thousands of children embrace the joy of outdoor winter activities while reaping the numerous physical and mental health benefits they provide.
Through their innovative programs, including the WinterKids App, WinterKids Winter Games, Welcome to Winter, License to Chill, WinterKids StoryWalk & Snowshoe Loan Program, WinterKids Learn Outside Guide, WinterKids Peisner Nordic Fund, WinterKids Downhill 24, and D24 Outdoor Fund, WinterKids helps children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun, outdoor winter activity. To learn more about WinterKids, please visit www.winterkids.org.
WinterKids’ Community Sponsor is L.L. Bean. Our Supporting Sponsors are Agren, Central Maine Power, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, WEX, Zachau Construction and WMTW Channel 8 and The CW.