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Agriculture Secretary and Philadelphia Eagles Urge Kids to
Practice Winning Eating Habit
 

For Immediate Release: October 14, 2003

Contact:

Hope Gruzlovic
(609)292-8896
hope.gruzlovic@ag.state.nj.us

 

 

 

CHERRY HILL – Agriculture Secretary Charles M. Kuperus and Philadelphia Eagles placekicker David Akers today visited the Rosa International Middle School to promote National School Lunch Week and encourage students to eat right to ensure a healthy and successful future.

The Secretary and Akers, along with members of the Eagles cheerleading team, ate lunch with nearly 150 middle school students and discussed how they can replace foods of minimal nutritional value with healthier alternatives.

“Kids need good nutrition to grow strong, be active and learn better,” said Kuperus. “With 15 percent of the nation’s children overweight, it’s important that we encourage our kids to make healthier food choices in and out of school. We know that when they eat the school lunch, they’re getting a balanced meal, but that’s only part of what they eat every day.”

Good nutrition is essential not only for athletes, but for anyone who wants to be a winner, Akers said.

“I’m happy to have worked with the Agriculture Secretary to promote good nutrition and National School Lunch Week,” said Akers. “It’s important kids know that healthy eating helps them in all aspects of life, including academics and athletics.”

Cherry Hill Schools Superintendent Dr. Morton Sherman welcomed Kuperus and the Eagles as they spread the message about eating right.

“The Cherry Hill School District is proud to offer healthy meal choices to thousands of students who eat in our lunchrooms each day,” Sherman said.” Good nutrition is so important to student performance whether in the classroom or on the playing field.”

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture administers the federal school lunch program, which provides balanced lunches for more than a half-million New Jersey students on a daily basis.

The Department also spearheads the state’s Healthy Choices, Healthy Kids campaign, a joint initiative with the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education to combat the alarming epidemic of childhood obesity and Type II diabetes.

National School Lunch Week is designed to help raise awareness about the important role school foodservice and nutrition programs play in the lives of America’s schoolchildren. The week runs from October 13 through October 17.