PowerUp Student Ambassadors Complete Wellness Projects

School’s out and summer is finally here, which means the 2017-2018 PowerUp Student Ambassador Projects have been wrapped up. Each fall, PowerUp accepts applications from teams of Middle and High School students who have ideas for making it easier for their school or community to eat better and move more. The selected teams receive money and support from PowerUp and Community Blueprint throughout the school year to help make their ideas a reality! We are so proud of the progress our four ambassador teams made on the health and wellness of their schools and communities! Find details of each team’s project below.

Osceola School District

Anna W., Mari S., Julia D., Kathryn M., and advisor Patty Willeman’s goal of the Student Ambassador Program was to help 3^rd-5^th grade students at Osceola Intermediate School be more active during the school days. They provided pedometers to the students to track their steps everyday while at school and organized weekly challenges between the classrooms. They also created activity jars containing several physical activity ideas for the students to use in the classroom. The ambassadors held an all-school assembly to kick off the challenge and talk about the PowerUp countdown. Everyone loved the challenge, including the teachers! The ambassadors agree that the pedometers and friendly step challenge encouraged the students to be mindful about how much they move each day. To recap their great work, the ambassadors created this video to share.

 

Hudson School District

Becca B., Anna L., and advisor Sue Hellmers used their PowerUp Ambassador dollars for an event to promote healthy food and exercise habits for families at Houlton and E.P. Rock Elementary Schools. The event included 3 different physical activity stations for kids: flexibility/stretching (yoga, tumbling), strength (rope, rock wall, weighted balls), and cardio (mini trampolines, obstacle course). While kids were participating in the stations, parents and guardians assembled healthy freezer meals for their family. At the end of the event, all participants gathered to make a healthy protein ball snack. The events gave families an opportunity to have fun being active, bring home a healthy meal to eat later, and showed an example of an easy, healthy snack to make at home.

 

Stillwater High School

Members of the Stillwater Area High School Student Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC) group used the PowerUp Ambassador dollars to raise awareness of the healthy “second-chance” breakfast available to high school students. Second chance breakfast carts allow students to simply punch in their lunch pin for grab-and-go items such as parfaits, fruit, and other healthy snacks. The ambassadors made attractive-looking posters that were hung in busy hallways and a promotional video as a fun and creative way to share the message that breakfast matters. They used these tools to let students know where to access the second chance breakfast options at their school if needed. The SNAC group continues to meet regularly to discuss the nutrition needs at their school. Read this article from the school’s Pony Express to learn more about SNAC.

 

Stillwater Middle School

Eighth grade students and advisor Andrew Olson from Stillwater Middle School worked to replace the student vending machine and unhealthy snacks with a refrigerated vending machine for PowerUp-approved foods such as chocolate milk, string cheese, fruits, and veggies. They also created a healthy snack advertisement on the announcement monitor in the school to raise awareness of healthy eating. Overall, the students love the new vending machine, and the healthy items are selling out! The ambassadors plan to continue working to provide healthy options to students, as well as add a healthy vending machine for the staff.

Have a great idea for your school and interested in applying for the Student Ambassador Program this Fall? Watch for future communications on our website, Facebook and Instagram accounts!