The Mission of Athletes for Kids is to positively enhance the Mind, Body, and Spirit of Children through the Arts and Discipline of Dance and Athletics.

The Impact of the Arts on Learning: Richard Riley, Secretary of Education

"The ultimate challenge for American education is to place all children on pathways toward success in school and in life. Through engagement with the arts, young people can better begin life-long journeys of developing their capabilities and contributing to the world around them. "Champions of Change: The Impact of the Arts on Learning" also shows that the arts can play a vital role in learning how to learn, an essential ability for fostering achievement and growth throughout their lives. It provides new and important findings of actual learning experiences involving the arts. It presents these research findings, groundbreaking data and analysis, as articulated by leading American educational researchers. Perhaps what makes their findings so significant is that they all address ways that our nation's educational goals may be realized through enhanced arts learning. As these researchers have confirmed, young people can be better prepared for the 21st century through quality learning experiences in and through the arts."

This program is a collaboration of Dance Professionals and Professional Athletes with the expressed purpose of integrating arts, in particular dance and athletics to enhance the child's cognitive learning process, ability to work with others, coordination, stamina, and discipline.

The program is a week-long residency that includes movement instruction, including dance and athletics to gain a greater appreciation of both disciplines. Dance has long been a cross training tool for the aspiring and professional athlete; this program will incorporate dance, stretching, strengthening, choreography (for presentation) and positive role models to have a lasting effect on the participants.

Athletes for Kids staff includes Director Frank Bove, Duncan Cooper, former Principal dancer with the Dance Theater of Harlem and Lydia Roberts Coco, former Principal with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.

The National Football Players Father Association has partnered with Athletes for Kids. Samuel McNabb, father of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and President of NFPFA, is pleased to lend the assistance of the organization and coordinate appearances of National Football League players at week long events organized by Athletes for Kids that will target education and hands on participation of inner city and at risk children.