USF partners with District 86 grade schools to promote healthy living
The University of St. Francis and Joliet Public Schools District 86 are taking steps to curb childhood obesity and promote healthier living for children.
The University of St. Francis and Joliet Public Schools District 86 is co-sponsoring the “Eat Healthy, Move More” poster contest. Students at the district’s 24 grade schools are challenged to design a poster addressing the theme “Nutrition & Wellness” to promote a healthy lifestyle. Each school will choose two posters for judging in the contest final. The final will be at the University of St. Francis where all of the contest finalist’s posters will be on exhibit. The posters will hang throughout the USF campus from March 12-23.
The contest will culminate with a reception announcing the poster winner on March 15. The reception will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the university’s Moser Performing Arts Center. Contest participants, their parents, teachers and friends are invited.
Six scholarships for USF’s summer art camp sponsored by the Visual Arts Department will be awarded as prizes for students. Students will compete in their age group. The week-long camps are in June and July. District 86 will provide additional prizes.
USF students from the Recreation Administration Department’s Wellness and Lifestyle Management class will judge the class. Class professor and department chair Lyle Hicks, who serves on the District 86’s Student Wellness Committee, helped organize the contest.
“The purpose of the poster contest is to help elementary school kids become more aware of the benefits of physical activity, proper nutrition and overall wellness” said Hicks. “A great benefit of the program is to be able to form a partnership with District 86 and the University of St. Francis to share resources to assist kids and families to be able to make more informed choices with regard to their health and wellness decisions. This is a great place and time to start kids on the path to a healthier lifestyle.”
For more information on the “Eat Healthy, Move More” poster contest, contact Deborah Carter, District 86 Resource Specialist, at 815.740.3196.