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North students learn healthy habits
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Neighbors | Submitted.North Elementary gym teacher, Kristi Schenker, talks to fourth-graders about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables during Eat Wise, Excercise on March 20.
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Neighbors | Adrienne Bish .Fourth-grader Christian Justice searches for hidden fruit and vegetables during North Elementary's Eat Wise, Excercise program on March 20.
By ADRIENNE BISH
North Elementary school celebrated National Nutrition Month by hosting Eat Wise, Exercise on March 20, where third and fourth-graders learned about the importance of nutrition and exercise to promote a healthier lifestyle.
The program, put on by Kristi Schenker, gym teacher; Barb Dorbish, food service director; Melissa, secretary of food services and Cathy Fedor, school nurse, included four different stations. Students learned portion control and got to fill their plates with what they thought was the appropriate amount of food. In another station, they calculated the number of teaspoons of sugar in different items such as yogurt and pop. Students split into teams and got their exercise by running around the gym to find different fruits and vegetables placed under various colored cones. They even played food Bingo.
Schenker thinks it’s important that students get a better understanding of how to eat right and incorporate healthy foods into their everyday meals.
“We want our kids to make healthy choices. The more knowledgeable they are, the better the choices they will make,” said Schenker.
Fedor believes awareness in the children at this age is vital.
“Learning nutrition starts at a young age and our nutrition in America has declined,” said Fedor.
The event ended with students winning different items such as fruit baskets, a Wittenauer’s gift card and T-shirt, a Cocca’s grilled chicken salad and YMCA family passes.