Families and teachers join kids in wellness program

Pick a Better Snack wraps up for the school year

You might call it the Tom Sawyer effect.  The “Pick a Better Snack” program, intended to help third grade students eat more fruits and vegetables and increase physical activity, seems to have a way of drawing in not just the students, but their families and teachers as well.

Third grade teacher Jennifer Christensen started taking part in the program, because she felt her involvement encouraged her students at Brant Elementary to participate. 

“I even tried a few [foods] that I haven’t tried before,” said Christensen

Every month students in all the third grade classrooms were handed bingo cards.  Squares on the cards included things like eating a family meal together, ride a bike, play catch, eat a grape tomato or frozen fruit.  On the back of the card were recipes and activity ideas, perfect for the whole family to explore.  Prizes were awarded to students that brought in completed cards. Kites, jump ropes and balls were among some of goodies they could earn through their participation. 

 “The kids are so psyched up about this program,” said Jo Lighter, school nurse through KRHC Community Health.  “The second graders see the third grade getting to do this and they can’t wait to do it next year.  The response from the families is good, too”

“We signed up for dodgeball,” said one of the 15 students that turned in his or her card every month of the program.

“We played kickball together as a family,” added another student.

In addition to exercising as a family, the healthy eating habits also seemed to spread to others in the home.  Lighter said that many parents reported that their student began insisting on going along to the grocery store.  They wanted to get some of the new fruits and vegetables they tried in the program.  Students named jicama, mangoes, kiwi, peppers, cucumbers and tangerines as their favorites to munch on.

“If they take just one thing away from this that will stay with them and become a healthier habit, then we’ve accomplished something,” said Lighter.

The Pick a Better Snack program is coordinated through school nursing with third grade classes at Bryant Elementary and Kossuth Regional Health Center Community Health. It was offered with the help of grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Harkin Wellness Grant program.

“Eating more fruits and vegetables and creating healthy habits in kids when they are young helps to decrease risk factors leading to chronic disease such as Type 2 Diabetes or metabolic disorders,” Lighter said.
 
The four sections of third grade competed against one another for a traveling trophy, donated and engraved by Wiltgen Jewelers and Gift World of Algona.  The classes of Mrs. Carroll, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Severson and Mr. Swalve competed each month to see which group had the most students fill out and bring in a bingo card of foods and activities that were tried at home.  Mrs. Carroll’s class was the winner for 2010.

For more information about the Pick A Better Snack program, contact Jo Lighter at 515-295-4430.

May 28, 2010