Fuel Up to Play 60, the Nation's Largest In-School Wellness Program, Launches National Effort to Help Increase School Breakfast Participation for All Students
Last month, Fuel Up to Play 60, the nation's largest in school health and wellness program, launched Fuel Greatness, an effort to elevate the conversation around good nutrition and physical activity to ensure a healthy, high-achieving generation of youth.
Research shows that improved nutrition, including daily breakfast, and increased physical activity can lead to improved academic performance. Eating breakfast at school can help kids be more attentive, behave better and achieve higher test scores, but millions of kids aren't eating this important meal.
In a recent national survey, No Kid Hungry's annual Hunger in Our Schools' report identified that more than three quarters (76 percent) of educators say that their students come to school hungry.
Locally, to celebrate Arkansas School Breakfast Month, Asbell Elementary School in Fayetteville, with the support of the Share our Strength, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance/No Kid Hungry Campaign and Midwest Dairy Council, hosted an event on Thursday, March 19, to showcase their successful Breakfast- After-The-Bell program. This program ensures that all Asbell students start each day with the fuel they need to succeed.
Asbell Elementary, as well as several others throughout the Midwest region, has eliminated many of the barriers that prevent students from fueling up before they dive into school work or other activities each day. The school showcased their Breakfast-After-The-Bell model for special guests, including former Arkansas Razorback and current linebacker for the New Orleans Saints Jerry Franklin, along with local Arkansas dairy farmer Ryan Anglin. The school's unique program features breakfast deliveries to classrooms each morning, ensuring that students begin their day with a healthy, nutritious breakfast.
At the event, Jerry Franklin assisted with breakfast distribution, then he and dairy farmer Ryan Anglin joined students as they ate breakfast in their classrooms. Both Franklin and Anglin then addressed the entire student body about the importance of fueling up with a healthy breakfast each morning, and encouraged all Arkansas schools to start Breakfast-After-the Bell programs. The principals and students also caught passes from Franklin, and performed a touchdown dance for him to celebrate their school breakfast success.
"Decades of research shows us that kids do better in school, on the playground and at home when they eat a healthy breakfast," said Melissa Young, vice president of health and wellness for Midwest Dairy Council. "Schools throughout the Midwest, including Asbell Elementary, have made great strides toward ensuring every student has a chance to eat breakfast, and we are grateful for their initiative and creativity in driving awareness and participation."
Throughout March, schools across the country planned school breakfast events to encourage parents, community members, thought leaders, school stakeholders and students themselves to play a part in bringing school breakfast to all kids.
"To perform at their highest potential, students need to start their day with a nutritious breakfast," said Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Tony Wood. "A healthy breakfast not only ensures children are better able to learn, when combined with physical activity throughout the day, children develop healthy habits."
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Dairy Council's commitment to school health and wellness. Since 2015, the National Dairy Council has promoted nutrition education through child health and wellness programs such as Fuel Up to Play 60. Locally, the Midwest Dairy Council implements these programs, with support from Arkansas's dairy farmers.
Fuel Greatness is a Fuel Up to Play 60 initiative designed to mobilize communities to advocate for and implement school breakfast models that drive participation.
To encourage more schools to make breakfast part of the school day, the Arkansas No Kid Hungry campaign and Midwest Dairy Council are extending the application period for the Arkansas School Breakfast Challenge, which offers grants and bonuses to schools that sign up to begin Breakfast-After- The-Bell programs. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2015. For more details, please visit arhungeralliance.org.
For more information, or to learn more about how you can help fuel greatness in your school or community, please visit MidwestDairy.com.
Midwest Dairy Council®, an affiliate of National Dairy Council, is the nutrition education division of Midwest Dairy Association. The Council is dedicated to dairy nutrition research and education through the investment of 8,000 dairy farm families across 10 Midwestern states, and is committed to child health and wellness through our collaborative program, Fuel Up to Play 60. For more information, visit www.midwestdairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.
About Fuel Up to Play 60 Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America's dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. As a result of the program, last year more than 13 million students made better food choices by selecting nutritious options like low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Additionally, nearly 16 million students are getting more physically active during the school day.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student contests. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.
4.23.2015