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HEALTH-MINDED STUDENTS FROM 10 LOCAL SCHOOLS WIN

SPECIAL VISIT TO CHICAGO BEARS’ HALAS HALL

“Best of the Midwest” Fuel Up to Play 60 Celebration Set for Saturday, May 14 – 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Chicago, May 14, 2011 – Morning jump-start workouts, healthy snack breaks, and hip-hop yoga classes after school are just a few of the many ways that health-minded students are making a difference in Chicagoland schools through Fuel Up to Play 60, a free, in-school wellness program sponsored by Midwest Dairy Council, National Dairy Council and the Chicago Bears, that encourages kids to eat healthy and stay active.

Today, 100 lucky students, chosen to represent 10 of the highest performing schools in northern Illinois, were rewarded for their efforts at a Fuel Up to Play 60 Celebration at Walter Payton Center, the Bears indoor training facility at Halas Hall in Lake Forest. The winning schools were Brooks and Jane Addams middle schools in Bolingbrook; St. Benedict Preparatory and Boone elementary schools in Chicago; Abbott, Ellis and Kenyon middle schools in Elgin; Ridge Family Center for Learning in Elk Grove Village; Lukancic Middle School in Romeoville; and Juarez Middle School in Waukegan.

Highlights of the special event included appearances by former Chicago Bears great and current Comcast SportsNet Bears analyst, Dan Jiggetts, who served as guest emcee; former Bears Tackle, James “Big Cat” Williams; and, a “pep talk” with a Bears coach. The students also participated in an interactive workout that utilized HOPSports®, a multi-media instructional program that educates, trains and entertains, while promoting accelerated learning, character education, health, nutrition and social messaging in a dynamic format.

Among the guests were Fuel Up to Play 60 school Program Advisors, teachers and administration, as well as Illinois dairy farmers, health and wellness partners like the USDA and representatives from Midwest Dairy Council and the Bears organization.

“We congratulate these students for taking control of their health and making their school environments healthier by eating right, getting daily physical activity and encouraging their friends to do the same,“ said Lorna Riggs, a health and wellness program manager with Midwest Dairy Council. “Their work supports the goal of Fuel Up to Play 60 to empower students to get involved and take the lead for themselves and their peers.”  Fuel Up to Play 60 is part of wellness efforts in 5,100 schools in Illinois.

“The Bears are a proud partner of Fuel Up to Play 60,” said Director of Community Relations, Caroline Schrenker. “The Bears organization and our players know that eating healthy and being active every day is the key to staying fit, which is why we’re excited to serve as role models to help inspire our young fans to make healthier choices.”

Fuel Up to Play 60 is a school wellness program provided at no cost to more than 70,000 schools nationwide by the NFL, National Dairy Council and Midwest Dairy Council, in collaboration with the USDA, to help tackle childhood obesity. The youth-led program empowers students to take charge of their health and work with school leaders to make more healthful foods available at school, like low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and to create opportunities for at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Meals and snacks consumed at school provide one-third to 50 percent of a student’s daily nutritional needs, making the school environment an ideal setting for teaching these healthy behaviors so they become lifelong habits.¹

About Fuel Up to Play 60

Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Dairy Council (NDC) and National Football League (NFL), with additional partnership support from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student challenges. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.

About NFL PLAY 60

Designed to help tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL‟s long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations like the National Dairy Council. NFL
PLAY 60 is also implemented locally, as part of the NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs. For more information, visit NFLRush.com.
© 2011 NFL Properties LLC. All NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League.

About National Dairy Council

National Dairy Council® (NDC) is the nutrition research, education and communications arm of Dairy Management Inc™. On behalf of U.S. dairy farmers, NDC provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier society, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Established in 1915, NDC is dedicated to educating the public on the health benefits of consuming milk and milk products throughout a person‟s lifespan. For more information, visit NationalDairyCouncil.org.

About Midwest Dairy Council

Midwest Dairy Council ®, an affiliate of National Dairy Council, is the nutrition education division of Midwest Dairy Association. The Council is dedicated to dairy nutrition research and education through the investment of more than 11,000 dairy farm families across 10 Midwestern states, and is committed to child health and wellness through our collaborative program, Fuel Up to Play 60. For more information, visit www.MidwestDairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.

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¹ Position of the American Dietetic Association, Society for Nutrition Education, and American School Food Service Association-Nutrition services: An essential component of comprehensive school health programs. Journal of American Dietetic Association, 103 (4): 505-514 (April 2003)