A Recipe for Wellness

Put 1,700 teenagers in a school quadrangle, play loud music, take away soda and tell them to exercise and sweat – now, that sounds like a recipe for disaster, doesn’t it? Well, this is exactly what the Bonnabel High School Student Wellness Council did during our annual Wellness Week sponsored by Fuel Up to Play 60. And it was a HUGE success!

Wellness Week was teen-driven, high energy and focused on serving only non-sugary beverages in concession stands and promoting 60 minutes of daily exercise.  Taste testings of healthy smoothies made from calcium rich low-fat dairy set the stage for the concessions change.  Everyone not only survived, but thrived through the “big wean.”

Just imagine four days of sunny skies, balloons, blaring music, teenagers and 15 educational and exercise stations manned by student wellness council members wearing their bright red Wellness Council t-shirts and milk mustaches. The art class designed “Rethink Your Drink” posters and visuals demonstrating the amount of sugar in sodas. Exercise stations with hula hoops, limbo, tug of war, double dutch and dance contests were in place and frozen grapes, smoothies, cheese and flavored water were ready for the taking.

RINGGGGG!  At lunch time the entire school converged upon the stations – especially the pizza station, where the student who won the “Top That” contest served her winning healthy pizza.  Wellness council students educated students on the importance of rethinking their drink choices and encouraged all to sign a pledge committing to 60 minutes of exercise.

So, what is the recipe for success? Let the students take charge! Involve students of all abilities and recognize their unique contribution. The FUTP60 event has energized the school and has demonstrated that teens are interested in becoming healthy and are totally capable when given direction, resources and the autonomy to do so.

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Guest blog by Nancy Tigert, APRN

Nancy Tigert, APRN is a dedicated school nurse at Bonnabel High School in Mandeville, LA.  Going beyond the clinic into the classroom she encourages students to initiate school wellness policies that create a healthier school environment.

 

Doctor Gets Charged About Fuel Up To Play 60

When I asked Dr. M.J. Collier, MD, A.K.A. “the Hip Hop Doc” based in Atlanta, GA to speak to family physicians at a national meeting about  Fuel Up To Play 60 (FUTP60), little did I know he would rock the house-literally.

FUTP60 is a school program grounded in decades of nutrition and physical activity experience and research from The National Dairy Council, NFL, USDA and partner organizations. When Dr. Collier gave his presentation to family physicians he started with an original rap about the program, which ignited the audience and grabbed their attention. He then proceeded to talk about his involvement in schools to support FUTP60.  Dr. Collier gave examples of how health professionals can get involved and then rallied them to do so.  It was like a light bulb went off in the audience – the big “ah ha” moment was when Dr. Collier said “you can get involved.”

One of the most exciting aspects of FUTP60 is that it encourages and provides strategies for health professionals to participate within schools.  Teachers no longer have to be the only ones in the schools giving the health messages.  Through the FUTP60 program students now hear another voice.  Research shows that doctors, athletes and other leaders in the community have influence with young people.  The FUTP60 program has strategies to bring in “heroes” from the local community to participate in nutrition and physical activity events such as the HERO breakfast. Invite your doctor to get involved in the FUTP60 program at your child’s school. 

Arlene Murrell, MS, RD, LD, CLE

 

Fuel Up to Play 60/Atlanta Falcons Photo Contest Winners Announced

This year, Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP60) and the Atlanta Falcons teamed up to host a photo contest in which students across Georgia showed how they’ve improved opportunities for physical activity in their schools. All Georgia schools participating in the FUTP60 healthy eating and physical activity program were eligible to enter, and the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation contributed $3,000 in prizes to the winning schools.

FUTP60 is a student-led program where students and school administrators are encouraged to make real changes by implementing school-wide healthy eating and physical activity “plays” – strategies that help students “fuel up” with nutrient-rich foods and “get up and play” for at least 60 minutes every day. To enter the FUTP60/Atlanta Falcons Photo Contest, students took a picture of themselves and their friends doing one of the physical activity plays. 

We are excited to announce that the winners of this year’s photo contest have been decided! It was a tough decision, but the winners of the 2010-2011 FUTP 60/Atlanta Falcons Photo Contest are …

$2,000 Grand Prize: Carrollton High School, Carrollton, GA

Carrollton High School students taking a stretch break as a part of the "Take a Break for Health In-Class Activity Breaks" play.

$1,000 Runner-Up Prize: A.S. Clark Elementary School, Cordele, GA

A.S. Clark Elementary School students got moving in the morning with the "Make the Most of Mornings Before School Fun Fitness Activities" play.

The money will be used to purchase physical activity equipment for each school.

Betsy Dietsch, RD, LD