Starting October 5, 2010, more than 300 middle school students and teachers from across the state will learn how nutrition and physical activity bring out "super powers" through nutritious foods and daily physical activity.
The students will participate in one of four regional Super Power Summits, the first of which gets tomorrow in Denison. The dates, locations and keynote speakers for the events are as follows:
- Tuesday, October 5th: Boulders Conference Center, Denison, Iowa (Rachel Bell, ISU Cross Country Track Athlete)
- Friday, October 15th: University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Ben Jacobsen, UNI Men's Basketball Coach)
- Tuesday, October 19th: Bridgeview Center, Ottumwa, Iowa (Larry Clement, Iowa Speedway Board Member and Founder)
- Tuesday, October 26th: Courtyard by Marriott, Ankeny, Iowa (Fred Hoiberg, ISU Men’s Basketball Coach)
The regional Super Power Summits are sponsored by Iowa Department of Education's Team Nutrition Program, Iowa Partners: Action for Healthy Kids, the Midwest Dairy Council, Iowa Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Nutrition, and Iowa Department of Public Health's Iowans Fit for Life Program. This is the third year Super Power Summits have been held.
"We have to teach our youth the importance of eating healthy and being physically active. We need to do it in a way that engages them, motivates them and captures their imagination," says Carrie Scheidel, Iowa Department of Education Consultant. "The best motivators for students to lead a healthy lifestyle are their peers."
Students representing more than 70 schools and their adult team leaders will learn how they can take the knowledge they gain at the event to create and activate wellness programs emphasizing nutrition and physical activity in their schools. Each team can apply for a mini grant up to $500 to help cover costs of implementing their local wellness program.
"By getting kids to eat better and become more active, they can utilize the super powers inside them to stay healthy, do better in the classroom and have a better chance to excel," Scheidel adds.
2010-10-04