Article published Apr 7, 2010 – Fosters.com
Somersworth school fair teaches healthy habits
SOMERSWORTH — Students danced, punched and ate their way through a recent Health Fair designed to promote healthy living and eating practices.
(EJ Hersom/Staff photographer Matt Randall, a sixth degree black belt and world competitor in Tae Kwon Do, gives a quick seminar in martial arts during a health fair at Somersworth High School.)
The event, which was held in the high school's cafetorium, was a free night of dinner and activities geared toward all students and parents in the Somersworth School District, said Sean Miller, the SAU 56's food service director.
He said the purpose of the fair was to reach out to the community and raise awareness about healthy habits, as well as provide education to the attendees.
"I think it's teaching the kids the right way to eat," he said. "You can eat things that are kind of fattening, but as long as you eat them in the right portion size then it's good. As the kids grow up, the healthier you eat, the healthier your body is going to be, and that's why we're promoting this so much in Somersworth."
Miller said the fair was organized by the Rollinsford/Somersworth Wellness Committee, which meets once a month and its members include himself and all five of the district's school nurses. He said this event wasn't the only attempt to get the students eating healthy, as there are initiatives in place every day in the schools, such as a program that provides fresh produce as daily snacks. He said all food items in the schools are also labeled with nutritional information so students know more about what they are putting in their bodies.
While several students said they came out to the event for the free dinner, which featured a chicken and broccoli Alfredo dish made with whole grain ziti and low-fat cream and milk, many said they came out for the activities.
(EJ Hersom/Staff photographer Above, from left, Bradley Tousignant, Shaylen Ayotte, Kassidy Benson and Amanda Marcin kick during a martial arts demonstration at the health fair in Somersworth. Below, dancers from Studio 109 put on a show.)
Jeremiah Quirion, a fourth-grader at Hilltop Elementary School, said he enjoyed getting involved in the karate demonstration from Matt Randall's Black Belt Academy.
"I just wanted to come out and have fun," said Quirion, 10. "I liked punching things."
He said he thought it was important to keep your body healthy, and said he frequently eats healthy food such as oranges, his favorite fruit.
Tiara Phillips, a third-grader at Hilltop, attended because she said she thinks it's important to be active and practice healthy eating habits, two things she does often. She said she thinks students her age are fairly healthy, but suggested eating more fruits and vegetables as a way to be healthier. She said she noticed the biggest change in the way she felt when she made one particular diet change in 2008.
"I don't drink soda anymore," said Phillips, 9, who plays soccer. "It was kind of slowing me down during my running."
Parents without students in the district also came out to the event.
Patrick Kinneavy, a member of the Somersworth High School Class of 1997, said he wanted to get involved because he wants his 11-month-old daughter, Danielle, to eat healthier than he did growing up. Kinneavy said he remembers the school providing "a variety" of healthy menu options, but said he often bypassed those items in favor of the snack line, a decision he said he's "still paying the price for."
"I want to make sure when my kid gets to this age that I don't have to worry about her health," said Kinneavy, 30, who said he also came out to support his wife, who teaches at Maple Wood Elementary School. "I want to make sure (Danielle's) healthy."
Other activities at the health fair included dancing organized by Studio 109 in Gonic, jumping rope, music, and educational information from Blackman Chiropractic Center, McGregor Memorial EMS, and NH Healthy Kids medical insurance, among others.
A healthy dessert made by the Somersworth Career Technical Center's culinary program was also offered, although attendees with a sweet tooth had to go on a mile walk through the school led by high school students before they could eat the dessert, said Pat LeBlanc, the middle school's nurse.
