Matoaca Elementary School was buzzing last Wednesday evening with students and their families returning to participate in fun challenges that inspired healthy eating and physical activity. The healthy event was provided by grants through the “Fuel Up to Play 60” program.  

It was founded by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League as an in-school nutrition and physical activity program. Out of school activities are also encouraged to help promote healthy eating and 60 minutes of physical activity each day at home.  

One hundred families had signed up and gone through a series of stations that included: physical activities in the gym, with the help of soldiers from Ft. Lee; making healthy food snacks, under the guidance of their art teacher at the Picasso Snack Faces station; a weigh-in and height check-in station; stopping by the library to learn about nutrition and reading food labels from the Virginia Extension Services; making a craft at  the Snowman Jingle station and receiving cooking lessons from three chefs from the Ft. Lee, in the cafeteria.

Matoaca Elementary’s art teacher, Katie Bailey and Ellen Nicholls, the school’s physical education teacher organized the event. Each participant received a pedometer and a Fuel Up For Dairy bracelet and had opportunities to win prizes during the event.  Additional sponsors included Southeast United Dairy Independent Associaiton, the James Farrior Foundation and Care Advantage.  

Many of the students will be encouraged to wear their pedometers to school to count the number of steps they walk each day. They will also keep a food journal.