Everyday Heroes - February 2013

Susan Burke March, RD, LD/N, CDE (Florida)

I was a recipient of a Healthy Snacking mini-grant and I presented to 40+ 9th-grade athletes, and it was a blast! Kids are in need of some basic nutrition information, and this presentation was great for offering practical suggestions to eat right and stay fit!

Dianne Cogburn, MPH, RD, LDN (Florida)

As a Healthy Snacking mini-grant recipient, I was able to present the Healthy Snacking for Teen Athletes toolkit to 50 middle school athletes who attend a wellness charter school. These students have physical education two periods daily, and were very interested in learning how to eat the right snacks to give them the competitive edge. They were highly engaged and enjoyed the activity and the healthy snack at the end of class!

Catherine M. Des Ruisseau, RD LD/N (Florida)

It was a very rewarding experience to be awarded the “Healthy Snacking” mini-grant and to present this toolkit. The student athletes were very receptive to incorporating healthy snacking into their busy lives. The power point and activity handouts provided the necessary tools to make it possible for the students to learn about healthy alternatives while on campus and on the road.

The videos and articles on recipes, and nutrition via the Kids Eat Right Monday message has been another way to inform my F acebook friends and twitter contacts of a healthier lifestyle. It is so convenient to have nutrition information at my fingertips and be able to forward this info to inform others of ways to avoid obesity, and develop proper eating habits.

Thank you Kids Eat Right and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in providing a unique volunteer opportunity.

Milwaukee Center for Independence (Wisconsin)

Elizabeth (Liz) Lombardi is currently a dietetic intern at Mount Mary College who is completing her Community and Management Rotations at our organization, the Milwaukee Center for Independence (MCFI). MCFI provides meals through the National School Lunch program and Child and Adult Care Food Program to over 40 different schools and day cares in the Milwaukee area. In addition, we provide nutrition education for free to all schools we serve.

As part of her rotation, Liz went into the Milwaukee Academy of Science and taught 4th and 5th graders about Healthy Breakfast and Healthy Snacks using the Kids Eat Right toolkits. During the breakfast presentation the class made and sampled fruit smoothies and during the snack presentation, students were able to make their own trail mix. Students thoroughly enjoyed her presentations and loved the food that was provided! The pictures attached show Liz at work in the classroom!

Sarah Lowell, RD, LD (Texas)

I used the Healthy Breakfast toolkit to teach elementary students and teachers about breakfast. I used MyPlate to help discuss the different food groups and handed out the activity and parent information sheet for them to complete. I was also able to present the Healthy Snacking In a Nutshell toolkit at a School Health Advisory Council meeting.

Kathryn Ort, RD, LDN (North Carolina)

As a Healthy Snacking Mini-Grantee, I performed a Kids Eat Right Healthy Snacking presentation at Meredith College. It was a wonderful opportunity to provide athletes and coaches information on fueling for exercise!