"Good Morning Solon Middle School!!!"
The 400 eighth graders at Solon Middle School were probably 'most' excited to see the over-sized canine mascot of the Cleveland Browns, but the program being introduced here is a cooperative of not only the National Football League, but the American Dairy Association, and the U.S. Departments of Education, and Agriculture.
Targeting youth obesity, the program makes focal points of nutrition and exercise.
In from Washington for the presentation was the Acting Assistant Secretary of Education, Michael Yudin.
Michael Yudin:
"Research shows that kids achieve better when they're healthier, when they have good nutritious meals, and access to physical activity."
Solon, a national Blue Ribbon school, was one of six sites chosen nationally to spearhead the project - then chosen as the pilot American school to roll out the program.
Overall, 3,000 Ohio schools will participate, 160 of those directly with the Dairy Association of the Midwest - which is supplying grants of various sizes to those schools.
As the point school, Solon principal Eugenia Green received a $4,000 grant to help craft their efforts.
Eugenia Green:
"We're gonna create a program that we're going to run all year long. We want to not make this a one-shot deal, we really want it to be an opportunity for our kids to grow and learn about healthy choices.... getting active."
As part of the roll out effort, the assembly included going outside to get some of that needed exercise...an activity students will see more of through the school year.
Efforts to halt childhood obesity have increased since studies found the number of overweight adolescents has tripled since 1980.
