Alice Smith Students ‘Fuel Up To Play’ at the Metrodome

(The following news release comes from Fuel Up to Play.)

ST. PAUL (April 24, 2012) – As part of a national movement to improve student health and wellness, Midwest Dairy Council and the Minnesota Vikings rallied with student leaders in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program on Monday as part of Training Day 2012. More than 150 Fuel Up to Play 60 student leaders and their advisors from 27 schools joined forces on Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome to celebrate their accomplishments, share ideas and experience the excitement of the program. The hands-on, educational event included working with Minnesota Vikings player Asher Allen, former Vikings player Matt Blair, Princess Kay of the Milky Way Mary Zahurones, Viktor the Viking and Midwest Dairy Council health and wellness experts.  

Training Day 2012 inspired the student leaders to encourage their peers to make healthier food choices and commit to 60 minutes of activity each day as part of Fuel Up to Play 60, an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and National Football League, in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture. The program, in which more than 70,000 schools nationwide and more than 1,250 schools across Minnesota are involved, encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.   

Student leaders at Training Day 2012 participated in an on-field HOPSports physical activity session, ran through the Vikings ship and onto the field with Viktor the Viking, and heard from Vikings cornerback Asher Allen, KFAN’s Chris Hawkey and WCCO’s Mike Max. Throughout the day, students visited fun, interactive stations that included meeting a dairy farmer (and milking a lifelike “cow”), competing in a nutrition trivia contest, brainstorming and sharing ideas among schools, and creating posters to encourage classmates to participate in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program during the 2012-2013 school year.   

The invitation-only event featured students and schools selected for their performance and outstanding excellence in the program during the 2011—2012 academic year.   

Schools not yet involved in the Fuel Up to Play 60 initiative still have time to apply for a grant before the June 1 deadline. The grant will help fund the Fuel Up to Play 60 program in individual schools. For more information, visit FuelUptoPlay60.com.   

“It’s truly inspiring to see how these students are making a difference in their health and in their schools,” says Julie Mattson Ostrow, MS, RD, Director of Health and Wellness for the Midwest Dairy Council. “Training Day 2012 is designed to provide these student leaders with more tools to spread the word about the program and teach others that eating right and committing to daily physical activity will help them create lifelong healthy habits.”   

“We’re excited to team with Midwest Dairy Council on the Fuel Up to Play 60 for another successful Training Day,” says Minnesota Vikings Vice President, Sales and Marketing/Chief Marketing Officer Steve LaCroix. “Our goal is for participants to take the lessons they learn about proper nutrition and physical activity back to their classrooms and playgrounds in order to help make future generations healthier.”

Schools that participated in the Fuel Up to Play 60 Training Day event included:   

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• Battle Creek Environmental Magnet: St. Paul Independent School District 625   
• Bridgewater Elementary School: Northfield Independent School District 659
• Brooklyn Center Junior and Senior High Schools: Brooklyn Center Independent School District 286   
• Coon Rapids Middle School: Anoka-Hennepin Independent School District 11   
• Earle Brown Elementary School: Brooklyn Center Independent School District 286   
• Elm Creek Elementary School: Osseo Independent School District 279   
• Excell Academy Charter: Minneapolis, MN   
• Frost Lake Magnet Elementary: St. Paul Independent School District 625   
• Golden Hill Learning Center: Rochester Independent School District 535 
• Greenvale Park Elementary: Northfield Independent School District 659   
• Jackson Preparatory Magnet School: St. Paul Independent School District 625   
• Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Elementary and High Schools: Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Independent School District 2835   
• John Metcalf Junior High School: Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Independent School District 191 Liberty Elementary School: Big Lake Independent School District 727   
• Melrose Area Elementary School: Melrose Area Independent School District 740   
• Northdale Middle School: Anoka-Hennepin Independent School District 11 
• Northeast Middle School: Minneapolis Public School District  
• Northfield High School: Northfield Independent School District 659   
• Ogilvie Public School: Ogilvie Independent School District 333   
• Our Savior Lutheran School: Excelsior, MN   
• Park Brook Elementary: Osseo Independent School District 279   
• Pilot Knob Elementary School: West St. Paul-Mendota-Eagan Independent School District 197   
• Pine Bend Elementary School: Inver Grove Independent School District 199   
• Sanford Middle School: Minneapolis Public School District   
• Sunnyside Elementary School: Mounds View Independent School District 621