NFL Stars Challenge Kids to Get Moving for the Fuel Up to Play 60 Make Your Move Campaign

News provided by

Midwest Dairy Council

Oct 29, 2013, 17:40 ET


Rosemont, IL (PRWEB) October 29, 2013 -- We cheer their moves every Sunday, Monday and Thursday on the football field, but do NFL players have the moves off the field? Fans can see for themselves today as Alfred Morris of the Washington Redskins, Corey Wootton of the Chicago Bears, Steve Smith and Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers team up with Fuel Up to Play 60 to launch Make Your Move– a campaign to inspire students, teachers, parents and community members to get active.

To kick off the campaign, these NFL players and Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassadors battle it out on camera to see who has the ultimate “moves.” Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts and spokesperson for The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., also makes a special appearance in the video. Make Your Move offers several tangible and easy solutions to help kids get 60 minutes of play a day, with a focus on dance-themed activities from dance-a-thons to in-class dance breaks. Fans can get in on all the action by checking out the “Playbook” of tips and suggestions available at FuelUpToPlay60.com.

Created in partnership by the National Football League and National Dairy Council, which is funded by America’s dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fuel Up to Play 60 is the nation’s largest in-school wellness program and creates real transformational change in more than 73,000 schools. As a result of the program, last year 14 million students ate better by adding nutritious foods like low-fat and fat-free dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains to their meals. Additionally, 14 million are getting more physically active because of this program.

“School is where I really learned about the importance of staying active,” said Alfred Morris, running back for the Washington Redskins. “P.E. class at school and playing football with my brothers, cousins and friends after class all helped me become the athlete I am today. I will do whatever I can to encourage kids to play for 60 minutes a day—even if it means breaking out my dance moves on-camera!”

Make Your Move runs through November and gives students, teachers, families and communities a variety of ways to get involved—all available at FuelUpToPlay60.com:

  • Register to get involved! As a Fuel Up to Play 60 participant, students and teachers can earn points and could win NFL prizes and valuable grants for tracking their Make Your Move activities.
  • Check out the Playbook for five sample activities to inspire physical activity at schools.
  • Parents and teachers can submit on behalf of a school a short video of their kids and students moving and getting active into the Quaker and Fuel Up to Play 60 Make Your Move Video Contest.* Schools will have a chance to win one of five $15,000 grants or one of ten $2,500 grants.


From Oct. 29 through Nov. 27, 2013, video entries can be uploaded at QuakerOats.com/makeyourmove, which is also the hub for official contest rules, entry forms and more. Andrew Luck will also be serving as a guest judge and helping to select the winning schools. Quaker is helping fuel healthy families by donating a total of $125,000 to support Fuel Up to Play 60 and fund school wellness programs.

In addition, schools around the country will be hosting Make Your Move rallies this week including:

  • Kenilworth Elementary School in Bowie, Md. – Hosted by Darryl Tapp, linebacker for the Washington Redskins, on Oct. 29
  • Montclair School of Academics and Enrichment in Denver, Colo. – Hosted by Ed McCaffrey, former wide receiver for the Denver Broncos, on Oct. 29
  • Kinzie Elementary in Chicago, Ill. – Hosted by Corey Wootton, defensive end for the Chicago Bears, on Oct. 30

“With research showing that improved nutrition paired with physical activity leads to improved academic achievement, America’s dairy farmers are committed to childhood health and wellness through programs like Fuel Up to Play 60,” said Jean Ragalie, R.D., President of the National Dairy Council. “We look forward to seeing how Fuel Up to Play 60 schools and students get active with Make Your Move and create lasting, healthy change.”

Fuel Up to Play 60 is also partnering with the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) for the Make Your Move campaign.

“Physical education teachers know that dance is one of the most popular activities among kids,” said AAHPERD President Gale Wiedow, Ph.D., of Dakota State University, S.D. “The Make Your Move campaign is a great opportunity for kids to see how much fun it can be to get active every day. Working hand-in-hand with Fuel Up to Play 60 and the NFL, we’ll equip schools with the resources they need to inspire kids to take an active role in their health through quality physical education programs.”

To learn more about Make Your Move, visit FuelUpToPlay60.com.

*No purchase necessary. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. See official rules at QuakerOats.com/makeyourmove.

Midwest Dairy Council®, an affiliate of National Dairy Council, is the nutrition education division of Midwest Dairy Association. The Council is dedicated to dairy nutrition research and education through the investment of more than 9,100 dairy farm families across 10 Midwestern states, and is committed to child health and wellness through our collaborative program, Fuel Up to Play 60. For more information, visit http://www.midwestdairy.com.

About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League and National Dairy Council, which is funded by America’s dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-dense foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student challenges. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.

Stephanie Cundith, Midwest Dairy Council, 316-440-7436, [email protected]