Healthy Living for Future Generations

Proposal By:
Moiz Shad
Rachel Thompson
Kevin Lee
Se Hoon Park

Table of Contents
Section

Page

I. Introduction .. 3
Statistics on obesity in our youth, the purpose and Gaiams Role
I.1. Childrens Health Facts .. 3
I.2. Gaiams Role in the Future Generations . 3
I.3. The Role of Healthy Living for Future Generations 3
II. Background . 4
A brief summary of Yoga and what benefits it will illicit on our children
II.1. What is Yoga? 4
II.2. Why Integrate Yoga into Childrens Schools? 4
II.3. What is Giama Yoga? 4
II.4. Obesity in Children 5
II.5. Sitting Statistics .. 5
III. Partner Company .. 6
CATCH
IV. Proposal and Objective . 7
Our main goals and how we plan to accomplish them
IV.1. Overall Company Plan and Objective ...... 7
IV.2. Why Gaiam Yoga? ... 7
IV.3. Schedule 7
IV.4. Marketing .. 8
V. Staffing ..... 9
What our staffing for this program would look like
VI. Budgeting ..... 10
How our budget fair into all of this
VI.1. Cost ..... 10
VI.2. Revenue .. 10
VI.3. Profit ... 10
VI.4. Budget Conclusion .. 11
VII. Authorization Letter .. 12
VIII. References . 13

I. Introduction
I.1. Childrens Health

About one-third of children and

adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered
to be overweight or obese
The percentage of children aged 611
years in the United States who were
obese increased from 7% in 1980 to
nearly 18% in 2012
Most children do not meet the exercise
for at least 60 minutes a day minimum
Sitting for too long can actually hurt you
and increase your risk of obesity and can also make you sluggish and less likely to
remember things

As junk food and fast food begin to dictate our society, our children start to suffer from it. This is
where Gaiam wants to step in and help get change rolling. By introducing yoga into PE time and
even taking short breaks throughout the school day, well get blood flowing. This will help
memory retention as well as get the kids moving and cutting down on diseases. It will also create
a useful form of stress relief and help relax the body and cleanse the mind.
I.2. Gaiams Role in the Future Generations
Our company, Gaiam, is creating a lifestyle change into our school system to help our children
fight obesity with the introduction of yoga. Seeing as yoga is a lifestyle change that helps to
benefit people in many ways, wed like to take this chance to reach out to the younger audience.
Weve seen the charts and the inclining obesity factor and would like to help prevent that from
carrying onto future generations as they will be the next leaders of our nation. As such, we think
yoga would greatly help the cause. Using our resources, we plan on helping by teaching yoga
and getting the body moving and blood circulating to not only strengthen our bodies, but our
minds as well.
I.3. The Goal of Healthy Living for Future Generations

Get the younger generation into yoga as a form of exercise

Raise awareness about the growth of obesity
Teach what is considered healthy living
Increase their overall perspective on whats healthy and whats not
Decrease their risk for diseases

With a growing rise in obesity and junk food becoming more prevalent, we want to help educate
our future generation on what good and healthy choices they make. By making a lifestyle
change, we believe that our generation will inspire others to change for the best.

II. Background
II.1. What is Yoga?
Yoga literally means to unite or to attach in Vedic Sanskrit, and it is the practice of accessing
and integrating all aspects of our true nature body, mind, and awareness in the pursuit of
inner harmony. The origins of Yoga have
been speculated to date back to the 6th and
5th centuries BC in ancient India. Today,
Yoga is a $27-billion-dollar industry that
provides many benefits for its followers
including increased flexibility, increased
muscle strength and tone, improved
respiration, energy and vitality, maintaining a
balanced metabolism, weight reduction,
cardio and circulatory health, improved
athletic performance, and protection from
injury.
II.2. Why integrate Yoga into childrens schools?
Yoga would be very beneficial for our youth because not only does it improve their physical
health, but it improves their mental health as well. By instilling the art of Yoga into the young
and impressionable minds of elementary school children we can teach them how to adopt a
healthy lifestyle that promotes recreational activity and mental strength.
Because children encounter emotional, social, and physical challenges or conflicts, a dedicated
and intentional yoga practice that includes breathing techniques, behavioral guidelines, and
physical postures can be incredibly valuable for them. Yoga is something children can practice
anywhere and the breathing, the concentration, the poses, and the way kids learn to act or react to
situations, will lead to constant self-discovery and inquisitiveness. In addition, Yoga is portable and no mat, special clothing, or special pillow is absolutely necessary.
II.3. What is Gaiam Yoga?
Gaiam (pronounced "guy-um"), is a fusion of the words "Gaia" and "I am." Gaia, mother Earth,
was honored on the Isle of Crete in ancient Greece
5,000 years ago by the Minoan civilization. Gaiam is a
leading lifestyle brand that with a mission to make
yoga, fitness, and well-being accessible to all. Gaiam
brands include Gaiam, focused on yoga and fitness;
Gaiam Restore, focused on wellness; SPRI focused on
fitness, and its eco-travel business, Natural Habitat
Adventures.

With a wide distribution network that consists of approximately 38,000 retail doors, 18,000 store
within stores, 5,000 category management locations, and e-commerce, GAIAM is dedicated to
making yoga, fitness and wellness accessible to all.
II.4. Obesity in Children
Obesity is a problem in the United States. With the increase in fatty, easy to grab food, our
country and its youth are suffering. When both parents work, they dont always want to cook and
as such, fast food becomes a regular and with the addictive, fatty taste it soon becomes the thing
children crave.
In recent studies, obesity in children has climbed from seven percent in 1980 to eighteen percent
in 2012. The numbers will only continue to grow if something isnt implemented to help children
be taught whats healthy for you and not. Fatty food makes up sluggish and lethargic, not a
bundle of energy that wants to run around outside with friends and get fresh air and exercise. A
child needs to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day but in todays world, not all of
them meet this standard.
II.5. Sitting Statistics
About eight months out
of the year, children are
in school. During that
time, they spend about
eight hours a day, five
days a week, confined to
a desk to sit and listen to
teachers lecture. While
this is average, they only
get a max of one to two
periods a day where they
can run around and let
out pent up energy.
Have you heard the
phrase The longer you
sit, the dumber you get?
Well, the saying is actually very truthful and can be very problematic for our youth. Sitting for
too long can lead to numerous health risks including a higher risk for diabetes, cardio issues,
among many others. This also cuts off the circulation of the body and less blood flow makes its
way to brain. This can cause a loss in memory retention which overall means that only a portion
of the knowledge taught in class will be kept and remembered. This means that test scores could
prove to be low due to inadequate amounts of time to stretch and get the bodies blood flowing.

III. Partner Company

-

Work with several big name health

companys
Target multiple aspects of a school
Research based with high results
Proven to be most effective method

CATCH or Coordinated Approach to Child

Health is a non-profit company we plan to
partner with. They have been trying their best to
help improve childrens health by coming in with
certain study regimes throughout the school day.
For over twenty years they have been at this and
have so far been the most proven to work.
They help teach kids what is healthy to eat and what isnt. By doing this it teaches kids that their
body can be at risk when they eat something thats not good for them and full of chemicals and
fat. It can help to change their young minds, to mold them into knowing that just because
something is edible doesnt mean its good for you to eat.
Atop that they also take the time to implement healthy ways of living not only in the cafeteria,
but also during gym and class time. During gym they will help in figuring out what the most
productive, but fun activity for the children will be to help challenge them. During class time
they will reestablish what is healthy and make sure the knowledge has sunk through so that the
children wont struggle with such in the future.
Not only that but they have big names backing them up. For instance, they are partnered with
Blue Cross Blue Shield, a well-known medical company. This can be a very beneficial strategy
as it will give insight into the current health issues children are facing ad that knowledge can
then be given to those within the industry, so they always know what is going on.
Overall they are a wonderful company with high marks, proven to help kids within the
community. As such, we want to partner with them to help make the world a better place for our
youth and future leaders of our country.

IV. Proposal and Objectives

IV.1. Overall Company Plan and Objective
As Gaiam Yoga company, our primary objective is to distribute yoga equipment such as yoga
mats, wrist bands, and yoga balls widely available to a mass consumer index. By this we hope to
accomplish spreading the word of youthfulness, longevity, and healthy living to all. In order to
achieve these goals, Gaiam Company has a two-step plan:
-

Designate one elementary school and train their Physical Education instructors over the
summer on basic Yoga principals and ideology
Throughout the school year, have the trained Physical Education instructors utilize their
knowledge of Yoga and teach children how to use it efficiently and harmoniously

What makes this a great opportunity for the elementary schools is that we plan to lend out
various types of yoga equipment to the schools for them to use. After one year of the school
semester, we will assess the grades and over all healthiness of the children to see if our yoga
discipline has benefited its users. This is very beneficial to the community because not only are
we helping children adopt a healthier lifestyle, but we are lending out our equipment in terms of
good will and healthiness.
IV.2. Why Gaiam Yoga?
Gaiam Yoga is one of the most popular Yoga companies in the United States with over 38,000
retail stores. Gaiam provides state of the art yoga equipment for any age. Their yoga mats would
be invaluable for children to use. Gaiam is not just a corporate brand; it is a leading lifestyle
organization with a mission to make yoga, wellbeing, and health accessible to all.
In addition to that, the word Gaiam represents planetary awareness, preservation and support
of the interconnectivity of all living things. By nurturing, protecting and respecting our planet, its
natural resources and its inhabitants, Gaiam Yoga hopes to enrich the lives of future generations.
With this in mind, it is without a question that Gaiam Yoga should be used as the supplier of this
transition to a healthier lifestyle due to their deep mission.
IV.3. Schedule
The designated P.E teacher
will take a summer course
at Sunstone Academy
which is a 200-hour, 3week program. In that
duration, the teacher will
learn the basics of Yoga
and how to teach it to
others. Here, they will

receive a certification to teach yoga and will spread that knowledge to the other staff members of
the school.
Around three weeks before the school year begins, the P.E teacher will have a meeting with all
the other teachers and tell them the best way to implement yoga in classrooms, while teaching
them how to do yoga.
During the school year, there will be four, 15-minute breaks throughout the school day in which
the teacher will lead some general yoga sessions. In the actual P.E class, one class out of the
week will be specially designed for a longer and more advanced yoga session.
IV.4. Marketing
Spreading information about our program will be done through school board meetings that are
with teachers and parents alike, as well as word of mouth. Information pamphlets will be made
and sent home through each child that will give a general idea as to what our program is, how it
will be done and the potential benefits of it. There will also be an online forum created that will
provide more information and allow parents to ask any questions.
As far as word of mouth goes, parents and even teachers alike we plan on having them talk about
it amongst other adults. It will rely on good and positive reviews that the program has brought
about which, we are sure that it will. Once that happens, news of this program will spread like
wild fire. The goal then is to hope that the other schools see the positive effect it has had and
switch over to the program.

V. Staffing
Kevin Lee Information Technology Consultant
Mr. Lee joined the company with a BS in Information Technology Systems from The University
of Texas at Dallas. As the IT Consultant, Kevin will be creating a business model that will help
combine healthy living with healthy eating and efficiently distribute the information to the kids
and parents. He will consult on how overall grades, attentiveness and other factors are in direct
result of the program through the use of databases.
Moiz Shad Financial Analyst
Mr. Shad joined the company as a financial analyst having graduated with a MS in Finance at
The University of Texas at Dallas. Mr. Shad owns and operates his own limousine service and
will be in charge of examining the overall costs to provide materials as well as the certificate and
will work closely with Mr. Park on how the cost will be necessary to this program and how to
allocate those resources efficiently.
Se Hoon Park - Accountant
Mr. Park graduated from The University of Texas at Dallas with a BS in Accounting. He will join
the team as an accountant in order to process orders that will go through our company. Mr. Park
has several years of experience working alongside companies such as Hein & Associates LLP.
He will oversee any distribution of funding that will go toward the health services as well as
keeping in check with all costs to make sure no unnecessary loss of money occurs.
Rachel Thompson Marketing Associate
Ms. Thompson has graduated from The University of Texas at Dallas with a BS in Marketing
and has experience working on a customer and social base through her 5 year work period with
Main Street Hub. She will join as a Marketing Associate. She will gather data on our customers
and will distribute coupons that work in conjunction with our goal. She will directly work on
advertising as well as finding efficient methods in getting the information needed out into the
public.
Physical Education Teachers
The P.E teachers already provided at the schools will be the yoga instructors for the kids. One
designated teacher, mainly the head P.E teacher or a volunteer, will take the summer class and
receive the certification. In turn, this P.E teacher will teach the basics of yoga and explain how to
best implement it into the classroom. During the actual P.E class time, there will be a longer,
more structured type of yoga lesion being done.

VI. Budget
VI.1. Cost
We at Gaiam want to contribute to the Dallas Independent School District by sponsoring the
PE Teacher Yoga Certification, which is a cost of $2,500 per PE Teacher, four schools multiplied
by $2,500 results in a cost of $10,000. In addition, we will donate 400 Yoga Mats, 100 per
school, at our cost of $9.98 for those families in need; resulting in a total of $3,992. In
conclusion our Budget results a Grand Total Cost of $13,992.

VI.2. Revenue
The average elementary school size in the Dallas Independent School District is give or take
about 500 per school. Since we are donating 100 Yoga Mats for children, we are only be selling
400 mats for children per school. A total of 1,600 Yoga mats at a price of $17.98 will be sold,
resulting in a Revenue of $28,768. In addition, 25 Yoga Mats for Teachers per school will be
sold, a total of 100 Teachers Yoga Mats at a price pf $29.98, resulting in a total amount of
$2,998. When added up these to figures we expect a Grand Total Revenue of $31,766.

VI.3. Profit
In order to cover our cost of $13,992 for the PE Teacher Yoga Certification and Childrens
Yoga mats, as mentioned above, we at Gaiam are offsetting our profit to cover this cost. Our
Profits for Childrens Mats in total are $8.00 per mat multiplied by 1,600 resulting in a Profit of
$12,800. The Teachers Mats profit is $11.92 per mat multiplied by 100 resulting in a Profit of
10

$1,192. When added up these figures we expect a Grand Total Profit of $13,992, which is exactly
the figure needed to cover our cost of $13,992.

VI.4. Budget Conclusion

In conclusion, we at Gaiam want to be part of the Dallas community; all net proceeds for this
pilot project are used to offset the cost of this project
Therefore, we ask the Dallas Chamber of Commerce to approve our Budget, which asks for no
monetary contribution.

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Authorization Letter

April 20, 2016

We, the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce, hereby authorize Gaiam to proceed with
proposal implementation of Dallas Independent School District Yoga Pilot Project. This
proposal is created in reaction to the Dallas Chamber of request for Businesses Give Back. The
Chamber of Commerce agrees to the proposal.
Attested below are the notarized signatures of our authorized personnel:
Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce

_____________________________

___________________________________________
(Authorized Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce)

Gaiam

______________________

Rachel Thompson
(Marketing Associate)

______________________

Kevin Lee
(IT Consultant)

______________________

Se Hoon Park
(Accounant)

______________________

Moiz Shad
(Chief Financial Officer)

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References
Obesity in Children. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/children/guide/obesitychildren
Childhood Obesity Facts. (2015, August 27). Retrieved April 10, 2016, from
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm
CATCH. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://catchinfo.org/
Gaiam. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2016, from http://www.gaiam.com/
Why sitting too much is bad for your health. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2016, from
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/sitting-and-sedentary-behaviour-are-bad-for-yourhealth.aspx
5 Ways That Sitting Is Bad for our Children's Health (and what we can do about it). (2015).
Retrieved April 8, 2016, from http://www.daimanuel.com/2015/04/07/5-ways-that-sitting-is-badfor-our-childrens-health/
Krampe, R. T. (2011). Shaping our food an overview of crop and livestock breeding. Lifespan
Changes in Multi-tasking: Concurrent Walking and Memory Search in Children, Young, and
Older Adults. Retrieved from http://library.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/ft/rtk/RTK_Lifespan_2011.pdf
Hendrick, B. (n.d.). Most Young Kids Don't Get Enough Exercise. Retrieved April 8, 2016, from
http://www.webmd.com/children/news/20110414/most-young-kids-dont-get-enough-exercise
Overweight and Obesity Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2016, from
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/Pages/overweight-obesitystatistics.aspx
Obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2016, from http://medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/obesity

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