Fuel Up to Play 60 Program Advisor Key to Successful Program « Back

The 2010-2011 school year was this program advisor’s first year as a Fuel Up to Play 60 Program Advisor at Jane Addams Middle School in Bolingbrook, Illinois – but the positive results she’s gotten in just a short time would lead you to believe she was a seasoned veteran of the program.

Highly organized, the advisor first gathered all the teachers at her school to advise them of the importance of Fuel Up to Play 60, and then brought them on board to register students. P.E. teachers turned rainy days into an opportunity for students to pledge and laptops were set up in the cafeteria during lunch to make signing up easy. Just a few weeks into the program, over half of the students in the school were enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60! Fourteen adults within the school are signed on as supporters of the program, from foodservice staff to teachers, and other P.E. staff. Making the program a success is definitely a joint effort! Parent outreach included using the school’s electronic messaging service, letting them know about the program, and to encourage their student’s participation in making healthy lifestyle changes.

The school has found that a great way to get students engaged is to involve them in fun activities such as flag football or dodge ball. Such activities provide opportunities for fun, but also a chance for students to get together and talk about Fuel Up to Play 60 and ask any questions they might have about the program. Student interest has been so high that 50 students have already applied for the Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador program.

The Fuel Up to Play 60 student team has chosen “Taste Test Days” as its first Healthy Eating Play. Jane Addams Middle School was awarded Fuel Up to Play 60 Funds, which they will use to sustain the taste tests throughout the school year. The school team’s first monthly taste test offered carrots and ranch dressing and yogurt and fruit smoothies and they also plan to include more nutritious breakfast options.

The link between wellness and academics has proven to be a great motivator. The advisor engaged students in a “90 Plan,” which aims for 90 percent of the student body meeting and exceeding the 90th percentile on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test, a measurement of achievement relative to the state’s learning standards. Students of the “90 Plan” borrowed the slogan: “Healthy kids make better learners,” and they are working toward this goal.

A visit from Jerry Hayes from the television reality show “The Biggest Loser” was a highlight for the school Fuel Up to Play 60 kickoff, arranged by a volunteer member of the schools’ Fuel Up to Play 60 committee. Hayes encouraged students to track their healthy eating and physical activity, and he used his weight-loss success to illustrate the benefits of taking action to better health. Hayes’ visit provided the unexpected benefit of motivating staff members, who asked him lots of questions too. Hayes also provided autographed photos, which were used as prizes in a raffle for students who submitted healthy recipes in the Fuel Up to Play 60 Recipe Challenge on FuelUpToPlay60.com.

Keeping up with classroom requirements and motivating students to participate can present challenges, according to the program advisor, but she says the dedication and time the program requires are well worth the results; she truly enjoys the work, because she cares about her students and their health and she knows it makes a difference in their lives.