For the second year, Fuel Up to Play 60 is corralling students, schools and parents to take daily steps to healthy up their lives and combat childhood obesity.
The funding initiative provides money to help schools jump-start and sustain healthy nutrition and physical activity improvements. Any U.S. school, K – 12, can enroll in the free program and thus be eligible to apply for up to $3,000 to help increase awareness of and access to nutrient-rich foods and physical activity opportunities for students.
Launched by National Dairy Council and the National Football League in collaboration with the 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. The program also receives the thumbs-up from First Lady Michelle Obama and her Let’s Move campaign, which is also designed to make a serious dent in the childhood obesity statistics that are nearing epidemic-level rates.
So far, more than 70,000 schools are enrolled in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. Here is how you can participate:
Students
Health-minded students can put their ideas and plans into action to help everyone eat healthy and get active. They can take fun challenges with classmates along the way to have the chance to unlock cool content and earn badges; students can even be recognized on Fuel Up to Play 60 website for their efforts.
Communities, Families and Organizations
Fuel Up to Play 60 offers leadership opportunities for child health and wellness with the support of business and industry leaders. This outstanding support continues to grow as government, business, health and wellness organizations, communities and families join the effort.
Schools
From school nutrition coordinators to Physical Education teachers and principals, all it takes is one adult from a school to sign up as a Program Adviser for their school and earn rewards for working with students to implement the “Six Steps to Fuel Up to Play 60″. Along the way, they can track their school’s progress through milestones, apply for funding, see their school’s funding status and much more.
But you have to act fast. The next deadline of February 15, 2011 is quickly approaching.
Learn more about Fuel Up to Play 60 by going directly to the program’s website.
