The NFL, Dairy Council Announce Fowler Middle School Student Winner
February 10, 2010
The NFL and Oregon Dairy Council Announce Oregon Student Winner
of Fuel Up to Play 60 National Competition to Fight Childhood Obesity
Fowler Middle School Student Wins iPod Touch for
Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity at School
[Portland, Ore., February 10, 2010] – The NFL, National Dairy Council (NDC), and the Oregon Dairy Council today announced that seventh grader Janie White of Fowler Middle School, Tigard, Ore., is one of 51 winners (one per state + the District of Columbia) of Phase 1 of the Fuel Up to Play 60 competition. The program is part of a nationwide initiative aimed at tackling childhood obesity by giving youth a leadership role in changing their school nutrition and physical activity environment. She received her award at a school assembly on February 9.
White is Oregon’s winner by virtue of points earned in the online contest for tracking healthy eating and daily physical activity, taking online educational challenges and recruiting friends to the program between Oct. 15 and Dec. 15, 2009. The prize is an iPod Touch and a $50 NFLShop.com gift certificate.
Phase 2 of the Fuel Up to Play 60 competition runs from Feb. 1 to March 15, 2010. A national individual winner will receive a healthy makeover with an NFL star and appear in a national promotional spot, while the national school winner will receive a cafeteria and gym makeover.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is a free, youth-led program that empowers youth to take charge of their health and become school leaders to create opportunities for 60 minutes of daily physical activity and to make more healthy foods available at school, like low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Meals and snacks consumed at school provide one-third to one-half of a student’s daily nutritional needs, making the school environment an ideal setting for teaching these healthy behaviors so they become lifelong habits.[1]
“We’re proud and excited that Janie White is one of the top participants nationally in Fuel Up to Play 60,” said Jeri Greenberg, nutrition educator for the Oregon Dairy Council. “Fuel Up to Play 60 makes adopting healthy habits fun, while helping youth make a difference in their schools.”
“The NFL is a proud partner of Fuel Up to Play 60,” said Anthony Newman, a former NFL player who began his career playing at the University of Oregon. “Our players and teams know that eating healthy foods and being active every day is the key to staying fit, which is why we’re excited to serve as role models to help inspire our young fans to make healthier choices. Now Janie White and all the other kids who are working so hard are setting a great example, too.”
How Fuel Up to Play 60 Works
Schools and youth enroll for the program at FuelUpToPlay60.com. Youth register online to pledge to eat healthier and be more physically active; track their daily healthy behaviors; and earn points to win great prizes. Enrolled schools receive a Fuel Up to Play 60 School Wellness Kit with in-school promotional materials and recommended healthy eating and physical activity strategies that youth teams can implement at their schools. Student leadership groups work with adult stakeholders to provide healthy eating and physical activity opportunities that work in their unique school environments and keep youth at the top of their game.
The program launched Oct. 15, 2009. In Oregon there are 410 schools participating as well as four schools at the enhanced program level. These four schools can qualify for up to $5,000 in grant funds. Nationwide, 36 million students and 60,000 elementary, middle and high schools are participating in the program.
To learn more about Fuel Up to Play 60 or sign up for the program visit: www.fueluptoplay60.com or www.oregondairycouncil.org.
[1] Position of the American Dietetic Association, Society for Nutrition Education, and American School Food Service Association—Nutrition services: An essential component of comprehensive school health programs, Journal of American Dietetic Association, 103 (4): 505-514 (April 2003).