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School lunch will never be quite the same at one US middle school, where a group of students worked to have their friends' favorite healthy foods added to the cafeteria menu. Those students participated in the ACS Generation Fit program.
Through Generation Fit, students ages 11 to 18 take part in community service projects that promote more physical activity and healthier eating among their friends and families, and in their schools and communities. The young activists themselves come away better educated about good nutrition and the need to stay physically active.
Activities to Engage and Empower Teen
Coaches, counselors, and youth group leaders can easily run the program with its detailed suggestions for five activities:
- Food for Thought: Trying New Recipes in Your Cafeteria
- Message Magic: Selling Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
- Lending a Helping Hand: Planning Meals for Those in Need
- Team Up for Good Health: Improving Habits with a Partner
- Let’s Get Moving: Making Physical Activity a Priority in Our Community
Students tailor these ideas to their own schools and towns. One group prepared a meal for a homeless shelter. Another group of sixth graders taught good health habits to younger students by taking them on walks and giving them healthy snacks.
Children who participate in Generation Fit also learn how to plan a community action, work together in a group, and carry out their plans, with the help of adult leaders.
For more information about the Generation Fit Action Packet, contact your local American Cancer Society or call 1-800-ACS-2345.
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