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Fort Bend Independent School DistrictNEWS RELEASE |
The NFL, Houston Texans and Dairy MAX Announce
Texas School Winner of Fuel Up to Play 60 Competition
Arizona Fleming Elementary Wins Fuel Up to Play 60 Statewide Competition by Eating Right, Getting Active and Making Healthy Changes
** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **
FORT BEND ISD - Please see the enclosed event announcement and news release:
Awards ceremony to be held on Thursday, May 13, at 2 pm tomorrow at:
Arizona Fleming Elementary
14850 Bissonnet | Houston | TX | 77083
Phone: 281-634-1100
Texans Mascot Toro will visit to help celebrate the school winning the Fuel Up To Play 60 statewide Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The NFL, Houston Texans and Dairy MAX Announce
Texas School Winner of Fuel Up to Play 60 Competition
Arizona Fleming Elementary Wins Fuel Up to Play 60 Statewide Competition by Eating Right, Getting Active and Making Healthy Changes
Sugar Land, Texas, May 12, 2010 – While recently there has been a national focus on eliminating child obesity throughout the country, in Texas Arizona Fleming Elementary has shown that focusing on small, realistic improvements can be the first step toward that goal. Out of all the Texas schools participating in Fuel Up to Play 60, Arizona Fleming Elementary was selected as the statewide winner of the Fuel Up to Play 60 nationwide online competition. Fuel Up to Play 60 is a national program developed by National Dairy Council, Dairy MAX, Inc. and the National Football League that centers on helping youth make their schools a healthier environment.
Arizona Fleming Elementary will be rewarded with a special Fuel Up to Play 60 prize worth $1,000 – including PE equipment, cafeteria signage, recognition banner and student prizes. The school will also receive a signed jersey by Texans player, DeMeco Ryans. The prizes will help them further showcase the progress they’ve already made toward making their school a healthier environment. Brad Easterling, physical education teacher, said it didn’t take long for students at Arizona Fleming Elementary School in Houston to embrace Fuel Up to Play 60. “I think it’s an amazing program,” he said. “I don’t ever remember any program getting this amount of kids to participate. I think it’s groundbreaking and I think it’s something that should be incorporated into every PE class.”
Easterling said he has been a longtime advocate of pairing nutrition and physical fitness lessons and he’s seen his share of programs designed to make a difference in childhood health. But the farmer-funded Fuel Up to Play 60 program is one that he feels is here to stay.
Brad Easterling said the competition aspect of FUTP60 and assigning point totals to healthy foods helped students make better decisions. “I had kids coming through the lunch line asking ‘how many points are on my tray?’ ” Easterling said. “I would say ‘you have 60 points but you don’t have milk or fruit so get them and you’ll have more points.’ They were constantly commenting about how they like to compete. Everyone likes to win.”
Through their involvement with the Fuel Up to Play 60 program and by making school-wide changes, Arizona Fleming students earned points by tracking their healthy eating and physical activity behaviors every day, making them the highest-scoring school from Texas in the competition.
“Nutrition and exercise aren’t going away and if students take these habits they’re learning (through Fuel Up to Play 60) and they become lifelong habits, then we’ve done our jobs.” said Easterling. “We are excited that our school was the top school in Texas (and 23rd in the US) for participation. This school’s teachers and I really got behind the program to make sure that all students were aware and could participate. I’m proud of Arizona Fleming students and teachers!”
Fuel Up to Play 60 is a national school wellness program that is working with youth, schools and communities to offer actionable solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic and help youth develop positive life-long healthy eating and daily physical activity habits. As a private-public partnership effort at both the national level and in Texas, Fuel Up to Play 60 shares the ambitious yet attainable goals outlined in First Lady Michelle Obama’s childhood obesity platform “Let’s Move!” which aims to curb child obesity within a generation. Fuel Up to Play 60 empowers students to make changes at their schools that will help them “fuel up” with nutrient-rich foods often missing from their diets – such as low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and “play” for 60 minutes of physical activity a day. All participating schools have access to a customizable program, which includes action strategies related to nutrient-rich foods and physical activity, in-school promotional materials and an interactive Web site to facilitate positive changes in the school environment.
“We’re proud and excited that Fleming Elementary has won the Fuel Up to Play 60 competition. This program allows youth to really take action for their health and work towards making their school environment an even healthier place. We’re also ensuring that as a community we’re making long-lasting changes that will impact children’s health for their lifetime,” said Nan Cramer, Dairy MAX representative in Houston.
To learn more about Fuel Up to Play 60 or to sign up for the 2010-2011 program visit: FuelUptoPlay60.com or www.dairymax.org Media resources, including related video footage and photos are available at FuelUptoPlay60MediaResources.com.
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About Dairy MAX
Dairy MAX is a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Dairy Council and funded by the dairy farming families in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and southwest Kansas. We are a dedicated team of professionals devoted to the promotion of dairy’s lifelong health benefits and enjoyment of nutrient-rich foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt as supported by the US dietary guidelines. We provide timely, research-based nutrition information to the media, health professionals, schools, educators, consumers and others committed to fostering a healthier society. For over 35 years, our team has supported the demand for dairy foods via strategic partnerships and programs while proudly representing the dairy farming industry’s positive image. For more information, visit DairyMAX.org.
About National Dairy Council
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 NationalDairyCouncil.org.
About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is a youth-led social marketing initiative 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 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.
About NFL PLAY 60
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 PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit NFLRush.com. © 2010 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.
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