Whether they plan on being a musician, physician, athlete or something entirely different, kids dream big. While there are a lot of things that go into supporting kids’ dreams, good nutrition and physical activity are key to helping fuel their greatness.
This is why the National Dairy Council partnered with the NFL to form Fuel Up to Play 60, the nation’s leading in-school wellness program operating in over 73,000 schools nationwide, reaching more than 38 million kids.
Here in Nevada, as we settle into the new school year, our Fuel Up to Play 60 team and the Nevada Dairy Farmers are working together to continue building healthy schools and communities.
Fuel Up to Play 60 Nevada
In 2018-2019, 718 total schools throughout Nevada participated in Fuel Up to Play 60. The program provides staff and students with opportunities to build healthier school environments by increasing physical activity and developing good eating habits.
The program also goes beyond health and wellness. Led by students, Fuel Up to Play 60 creates leadership opportunities. Through collaboration with their peers and adults at their schools, these leadership opportunities help students gain confidence and lifelong teamwork skills. Adult program advisors help support the student leaders, and together, they work to become a Touchdown School.
Nevada’s top 12 participating schools became Touchdown schools, making them eligible for the Nevada Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador Training as well as the $10,000 Hometown grant.
Impact in Schools
Fuel Up to Play 60 was founded on the CDC recommendation that children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily, combined with a healthy and balanced diet to fuel activity.
Based on this the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook was created. Students can choose from “plays” for healthy eating and physical activity to guide their schools. Plays include farm to school initiatives, community outreach programs, the importance of breakfast, walking clubs, how to incorporate physical activity throughout the day, and more.
Educators have reported that the program helped them achieve their school wellness goals, positively impacted student academic performance and positively influenced their school environment.
Additional research has found the low-intensity, flexible program design leads to small but significant improvements in students’ healthy eating and physical activity behavior. Because of Fuel Up to Play 60, 14 million students are eating healthier, 18 million students are more active, and 130 thousand adults are empowering youth as young leaders.
Empowered and connected youth who eat healthier, move more, and use their leadership, inspire schools and communities to do the same.
How to Get Your School Involved?
Celebrating 10 years, Fuel Up to Play 60 is holding a kickoff contest to encourage more schools in Nevada, and nationwide, to get involved. The program also offers funding opportunities, grants, and ambassador programs for schools and students.
Upcoming Nevada Events:
- Oct. 16: Program Advisory Training Summit
- Oct. 14-18: National School Lunch Week
- Nov.: Hometown Grant Award Ceremony
Get Mooving
The Nevada Dairy Farmers are proud to connect with schools and communities through Fuel Up to Play 60 events. As farmers and parents, we understand the need for daily physical activity, healthy meals, and udderly delicious snacks—milk and cheese being our favorites of course! And don’t forget, chocolate milk is a nutrient-dense refuel beverage with 9 essential nutrients, 8g of protein, and made of 85% water for rehydrating.
As part of our partnership, we work with Fuel Up to Play 60 on educating students about farm to table initiatives. Dairy Farmer Tim Sorensen from Cottonwood Dairy in Fallon, Nevada presented at the inaugural Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Summit where he answered questions on animal care, sustainability, and life on the farm. Our local dairies and processors also supply our southern Nevada schools with regular and chocolate milk.
We’re looking forward to another great year of partnership and participation!
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