School adds new pedometers and smoothie machine
WOODLAND, Maine — The Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council recently awarded Woodland Consolidated School a $1,500 Fuel Up to Play 60 grant to purchase a smoothie machine, vegetable slicer and pedometers for healthy activities.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is a National Dairy Council and NFL sponsored program with a goal of ensuring children eat right and get at least 60 minutes of exercise a day.
Local farmer Tom Drew presented the $1,500 grant to Woodland Consolidated School Principal Susie Schloeman.
“This is a competitive grant,” said Catherine Hoffman, school nutrition programs manager for the Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council. “Schools are competing throughout the state of Maine, and they can apply for up to $4,000 every year. When the schools apply, they submit a plan for healthy eating and physical activity. The ideas come from the student body itself, which empowers the students.”
“The students wanted to try new fruits and foods,” said Schloeman, “so they suggested a larger smoothie machine. We took that suggestion into consideration when writing the application.”
“One thing we want to ensure is that the changes made are sustainable,” added Hoffman. “We look for a plan that will help maintain physical activity. The purpose is to create a sustainable change.”
Woodland School is going to purchase pedometers as part of the grant’s physical activity component.
“We are putting together a 100-mile Club for each grade level,” said Schloeman. “Students will track the steps they take so it equals out to 100 miles. We are going to figure out a 100-mile radius distance from Woodland to Caribou and Presque Isle and create a map where children can actually track their progress.”
In addition to Woodland, Van Buren Secondary School also received a Fuel Up To Play 60 Grant. Students at Van Buren received an Xbox Kinect with the game “Just Dance” for their physical education classes and a small refrigerator to store perishable dairy items.
