Student Representatives at the Learning Connection Summit!

We are proud to have a number of Student Ambassadors representing Fuel Up to Play 60 at next week’s Learning Connecting Summit in Washington, D.C.! Emma B. is a keynote speaker, and Tyler K. and Kaylene K. are sharing their many Fuel Up to Play 60 success stories on a student panel.

Earlier this summer, we asked students: “If a company gave you $10,000 to improve healthy eating and increase physical activity in your school, what would you do?” Of all the amazing ideas we received, three Student Ambassadors were chosen to give their “pitch” to business, education and health leaders at this conference. Good luck to you all! Here are their proposals:

Alejandro G.
National Student Ambassador

If a company gave me $10,000 to improve healthy eating and physical activity, I would use it to add more milk. Regarding healthy eating, I’ve been noticing in my school the students are refusing to drink the milk because of the specific taste, I know milk is a basic source of calcium and we need to drink it, that’s the reason I would like to offer different varieties of milk, as well as to provide the students with healthy fresh smoothies. Besides the regular menu I would like to add a Fuel Up to Play 60 healthy sandwich kart on wheels. This will include two choices of bread, meats, cheeses, and salads with additional toppings. Also I would like to add a healthy snack breakfast area for students who don’t want to eat breakfast in the classroom.

When I was a little kid, my parents used to take me to walk at a park which had a nice walking track with equipment to do different exercises. I would like to have that at my school around the building. The Fuel Up to Play 60 fun track will give the students the opportunity to use it during and after school. How will students be involved? The Fuel Up to Play 60 students will be involved by helping to make smoothies during their lunch periods, or helping to make sandwiches. The Fuel Up to Play 60 fun track will have Fuel Up to Play 60 students at each station so they can explain how to use the equipment.

Beth Ann W.
Kentucky State Representative

P&G Café: Our school, TK Stone Middle School, has a stage in our gym that gets very little use. Also, our breakfast program and after school snacks are not the healthiest. So my school would like to build a café stand with refrigeration and counter for ordering on the stage. We would need to ask one of the lunch ladies to come down and help us to be in code, but that is a minor detail. We would start by serving just after school snacks and then expand to breakfast. We would also like to buy some café-style table and chairs so that kids can hang out and talk while eating. With the $10,000, we could build the stand, buy table and chairs, and for a while provide free snacks and breakfast. We would sell Apples, Sun Chips, Water, Chocolate Milk, Smoothies, and Granola bars after school and for breakfast we would also serve smoothies along with other easy to grab and go items. That is my $10,000 idea to improve healthy eating in my school.

(The name is because our colors are Purple and Gold. Hence, P&G.)

Kylie K.
Minnesota State Representative

At my school, it isn’t cool to eat healthy and exercise. I get teased for trying to eat a healthy lunch and snack every day. The popular kids don’t want to participate in anything that isn’t cool, and the unpopular kids don’t want to participate as it makes them feel even more uncool! Until we find a way to make all the kids want get active and eat right, they will continue to have problems with being overweight and making unhealthy food choices. While many kids are already involved in afterschool sports and activities, an equal number are going home and eating junk food in front of the TV, computer, or texting and do not exercise.

My idea is to create an afterschool program for all kids to eat a healthy snack and have guest speakers come in and talk briefly about good nutrition while showing us how to make a snack that’s good for us. Next, we would be active for 60 minutes by playing group games and activities that make us move! The older kids could apply to be small group leaders and be good examples for the younger ones. The small groups would be a mix of kids – not based on best friends – a time to get to know new friends and work together as a team. The older kids would have to prove their leadership skills and be good role models. A few teachers would have to be hired to supervise the program. There would also be a point system in place for the kids to earn some great prizes! The more kids that become involved, other kids will want to be a part of the program.

The key is to promote healthy food choices and fun exercise while making it cost free for the parents. By having kids be the small group leaders, they will take an active part in the program and will feel better about themselves and those in their group. The end result will be a cool program that all kids will want to join and all kids will belong!