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Pine Forest School of the Arts PTA recently received a $1,000 grant through the national PTA to focus on childhood obesity prevention. More than 20 PTAs from 17 different states were selected to receive the grant, and Pine Forest was one of only two schools in Florida.
During November, the national PTA’s Healthy Lifestyle Month, the Pine Forest PTA will embark on a campaign to create healthy habits one step at a time.
“Education is the biggest battle. Everywhere there are messages to eat healthy and get exercise, but for most families that is too tall an order and they need guidance,” said Wellness Committee Chair Tiffany Villacortabuer. “Our goal is to provide the tools for our student body and their families to begin to establish healthy habits.”
A poster campaign highlighting “Green Light” foods versus “Red Light” foods and what “eating close to the source” means will be implemented in the lunchroom.
A Munchy Monday program will begin where students will have the opportunity to try a fruit or vegetable sample each Monday during lunch. They will be shown the fruit or vegetable, learn how it is grown, the nutritional value, and how best to eat and cook it. Each student will receive a fun fact sheet to take home that will inform parents what their child tried that day as well as information regarding the fruit or vegetable. The goal is for the student to go home and tell their parents that they tried and liked the fruit or vegetable, and want to buy some. Healthy requests from children help adults change.
In addition, a sticker campaign will be implemented where students will receive stickers when they come to school with a healthy or creative lunch, or make wise, healthy choices from the cafeteria.
During the school’s recent Family Fun Fitness Night, students participated in fun physical activities while parents attended nutritional and healthy lifestyle workshops. Another nutritional workshop will also be held during the month to teach parents how to read food labels effectively.
The grant will support these various activities during the month of November, as well as fund Munchy Mondays and other healthy lifestyles activities for the remainder of the year.
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