Just desserts? Well, maybe ‘no’ desserts, say healthy students

By Kathy Domgard

Not only are FHS students talking the talk about nutrition, they are walking the walk — as well as doing step aerobics and running obstacle courses. On April 24, the Health and Physical Activity Fair brought 260 rural elementary students to The Summit to teach the importance of healthy lifestyles.

“I learned a lot from coming here. I learned that healthy foods taste just as good as junk food. I’ll be helping myself out by eating right,” said 4th grade Kila student Cristy Bell. “I learned that I can have fun exercising instead of just sitting around.”

FHS students spent their day at The Summit teaching children  healthy alternatives to snacking on chips and donuts. The eight stations set up ranged from an obstacle course to tobacco education to food samples.

“I think this is importantt. It teaches kids at an early age about nutrition,” said junior Anastacia Phillips. “If the kids see high schoolers doing it, they’ll think it’s cool and hopefully do it too.”

Healthy Foods and Choices Too members randomly visited city schools throughout the school year but not rural schools due to distance.

“There’s too many people who don’t understand the importance of nutrition,” said senior Angie Palmer. “This is just a more fun way of educating them.”

“It’s vitally important that children start young because then it will turn into a habit,” said Tidyman’s Community Partnership Coordinator Bonnie Ullman. “Exercise and eating right is the foundation of a healthy and productive lifestyle in the future.”

Elementary students not only took home various handouts from different stations — they also took home knowledge about exercise and eating right.

“I think this is a good way to learn how exercise can help me,” said 5th grade Creston student Ryan Shearer. “It was a lot of fun to do all the fitness activities and learn what kinds of chemicals are in tobacco. I’m never going to smoke.”

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