Students at ten elementary schools throughout Boulder Valley School District will get to see FoodPlay in school assemblies next week, thanks to grants from the USDA and Colorado Health Foundation. FoodPlay is a national award-winning theater show that promotes healthy eating and exercise habits. (See below for full schedule of assemblies.)
During the fun-filled performance, children follow the antics of Johnny Junkfood, whose dream is to become a national juggling star, but he keeps dropping the balls. The problem – his poor eating habits! With the help of the “Coach” of the National Junior Juggling Team and the audience of enthusiastic elementary school children, Johnny learns how to juggle the foods he eats to wind up with a balanced diet. The show helps children learn how to see through TV commercials, decipher food labels, and make choices that are good for their health and good for the health of the planet. As the children walk away to the beat of “Treat Your Body Right!” FoodPlay’s message comes in loud and clear – feed healthy foods to your body, positive messages to your mind, and have fun being active every day.
“We have to fight fire with fire,” says FoodPlay creator and Executive Director Barbara Storper, MS, RD. A leader in children’s nutrition, Storper has reached over three million children at schools across the country with Foodplay, using the power of live theater to make nutrition come alive.
“We need to use the same techniques advertisers use in order to get kids excited about healthy foods and healthy practices!” says Storper. “And, schools are the perfect setting to model healthy behaviors and educate students on how to make their choices healthy ones. Once kids get the facts, they become the most effective health advocates, bringing the message back home!”
Food Play assembly schedule in BVSD
(Media are welcome!)
Monday, Nov. 14
9 a.m. - Bear Creek Elementary, 2500 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder
1 p.m. – Mesa Elementary, 1575 Lehigh Street, Boulder
Tuesday, Nov. 15
9 a.m. – Ryan Elementary, 1405 Centaur Village Drive, Lafayette
1 p.m. – Superior Elementary, 1800 S. Indiana Street, Superior
Wednesday, Nov. 16
9 a.m. – Pioneer Elementary, 101 Baseline Road, Lafayette
1 p.m. – Sanchez Elementary, 655 Sir Galahad Drive, Lafayette
Thursday, Nov. 17
9 a.m. – Emerald Elementary, 755 W. Elmhurst Place, Broomfield
1 p.m. - Aspen Creek K-8, 5500 Aspen Creek Drive, Broomfield
Friday, Nov. 18
9 a.m. – Douglass Elementary, 840 75th Street, Boulder
1:45 p.m. - Eldorado K-8, 3351 Indiana Street, Superior
There will also be a Rainbow Day during lunch time at each of the schools on the day of their assembly. Called the “Make a Rainbow on Your Tray” campaign, this initiative challenges students to create colorful creations from the salad bar. Interns, volunteers, and parents stationed at the school encourage the students, take pictures of great looking salads and hand out “I made a Rainbow at the Salad Bar Today” stickers after students have proved that they not only put colorful foods on their tray, but ATE them as well!
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Proven Results – FOODPLAY Works!
According to USDA-sponsored evaluations, over 75 percent of children reported increasing their fruit and vegetable intake, cutting down on soda and sweets, reading food labels more often, eating breakfast more regularly, and being more physically active after taking part in FOODPLAY. Educators report that FoodPlay triggers school-wide excitement for healthy habits, getting everyone on board – students, teachers, parents, food service, health staff, and administrators, to work together to create healthy schools and healthy communities. To extend the lessons throughout the year, schools receive a comprehensive Follow-Up Resource Kit filled with hands-on nutrition education materials for teachers, parents, school food service, health staff, and students. Teachers receive activity guidebooks to help integrate nutrition into core subject areas and link cafeteria with classroom learning. And, students take home healthy snack cards to post on their fridge.
About FoodPlay Productions
FoodPlay Productions was founded in 1982 by nutritionist, Barbara Storper, MS, RD, under original sponsorship by the US Department of Agriculture. FoodPlay has reached over 3,000,000 children from New York to Alaska, and received a host of awards including an Emmy Award when made for TV. Considered among the most effective and innovative nutrition organizations in the country, FoodPlay Productions offers several school assembly programs and produces media campaigns, video kits, children’s books, and curricula to make nutrition come alive. Widely featured in the national media including ABC, CBS, CNN, PBS, and Nickelodeon, FoodPlay Productions is committed to helping the nation’s youth take charge of growing up healthy and fit. For more information, free snack recipes, and tips for kids and families: http://www.foodplay.com/