Back to basics
In winter she turns a cardboard box into a car and drives in the snow. In spring she can't wait to go outside to draw with sidewalk-chalk. And her favorite treat with friends? "Sprinkle pancakes," says Anna Davison. "And each friend gets to flip her own."
At age 9, Anna already knows the secret to a healthy life. With the help of nutritionist Linda Bartholomay and others from MeritCare, she's learning even more in "We Can," an after-school program at Horace Mann Roosevelt in Fargo. The goal? To start children early on the path to good nutrition and an active life, bucking the dangerous trend toward obesity.
Every Thursday, a MeritCare nutrition/exercise physiology team transforms a schoolroom into a boisterous healthy-living lab. Kids make nutritious snacks – today's is trail mix with whole grain cereal. They get on their feet and rediscover old fashioned favorites – Hula-Hoop, Twister, jump rope. Flushed faces and sweaters cast aside, they escape the world of TVs and computers.
And of course they learn good nutrition, but not by sitting in desks. They crowd around a table of food packages eager to answer questions about which choices are better.
At the end of the eight-week program, what have they learned? Hands shoot up. "You should try new foods. Now I know I like kiwi," says Anna, referring to the We Can taste- testing. "Cottage cheese actually tastes good in a shake," says one boy.
Kids, parents and MeritCare hope the We Can pilot program can continue and even expand. "Let's have a garden so we can see vegetables grow," suggests one student. Several agree.
Anna has a plan, too. "I can't wait to get a dog," she says. "We're going to go on walks and play Frisbee together." That's one lucky dog!
Posted Date: January 2009