ST. PAUL, Minn. – Midwest Dairy Council awarded $128,295 to 67 schools in 10 Midwest states, including Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and eastern Oklahoma, to support their Fuel Up to Play 60 initiatives. Funding for this competitive program is provided by the Midwest Dairy Council, on behalf of Midwest dairy farmers.
Schools across the country applied for this second round of funding to help them jumpstart and sustain nutrition and physical activity improvements. To be eligible, they had to assign a program manager, complete a school wellness investigation, form a student team and identify a healthy eating and a physical activity play. Awarded funds for Fuel Up to Play 60 provides support for a variety of activities and tools, such as foodservice materials and equipment, nutrition and physical education materials, student and staff incentives, staff development and overall Fuel Up to Play 60 implementation in an effort to champion school wellness.
More than 70,000 schools across the United States are participating in Fuel Up to Play 60. Launched by National Dairy Council, local dairy councils and National Football League (NFL), in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Multiple health organizations and several major corporations are also supporting Fuel Up to Play 60, now in its second year.
“Fuel Up to Play 60 has really taken off with wellness champions and students in more than 8,000 Midwest schools embracing the program. These funds will help many of the participating schools engage in student wellness initiatives,” said Melissa Young, Health and Wellness Director for Midwest Dairy Council. “I encourage all schools enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60 to apply for up to $3,000 to help them increase awareness of and access to nutrient-rich foods and physical activity opportunities for their students.”
By giving students both a voice and a valuable role in shaping the future of their generation, National Dairy Council in collaboration with local dairy councils, the NFL and USDA are providing concrete opportunities for children to lead real change in the fight against childhood obesity. Fuel Up to Play 60 taps the power of the NFL and its teams, players and physical activity programming to add recognition and value for students. National Dairy Council’s trusted school relationships are crucial in sustaining the program. All 32 NFL teams are participating in Fuel Up to Play 60 through local dairy councils and schools in their respective markets.
Fuel Up to Play 60 empowers students to engage their peers to “fuel up” with nutrient-rich foods they often lack – particularly low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and “get up and play” with 60 minutes of daily physical activity. The program can complement and enhance existing wellness initiatives or efforts with additional resources, tools, rewards and incentives for students, adult program advisors and the school.
To learn more about eligibility requirements, and find the funds for a Fuel Up to Play 60 application, visit FuelUpToPlay60.com. There are several application windows each year, including the upcoming deadline of June 15, 2011.
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Midwest Dairy Council is the nutrition education division of Midwest Dairy Association. The Council’s mission is to promote a healthy diet through nutrition education and the use of dairy products to consumers, health professionals and teachers. Midwest Dairy Council is funded by checkoff dollars from dairy farmers in a ten-state region that includes: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit www.midwestdairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.
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 and include tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website, youth challenges and rewards and funding opportunities. The program is designed to help prevent childhood obesity and help youth develop life-long healthy eating and daily physical activity habits. As part of the program, student teams work with adult leaders in each school to make kid-appealing, good-tasting, nutrient-rich foods more available. They also create opportunities for daily physical activity, such as noon walking clubs and after-school sports and dance clubs. Fuel Up to Play 60 encourages kids to get involved and make changes that will help make their schools healthier places. The program reaches youth directly and engages their help in leading and inspiring their friends. The United States Department of Agriculture, NFL and National Dairy Council are partners in the program, and it is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.
National Dairy Council® (NDC) is the nutrition research, education and communications arm of Dairy Management Inc™. On behalf of U.S. dairy farmers, NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier society, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC is dedicated to educating the public on the health benefits of consuming milk and milk products throughout a person’s lifespan. For more information, visit www.nationaldairycouncil.org.
Designed to help tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL’s long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations like the National Dairy Council. NFL’s PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit www.NFLRush.com. © 2009 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.
Source: National Dairy Council