December 11, 2009 - Today, a team of students at Hammarskjold High School wrapped up their “Get Caught” contest with a smoothie-making competition and a draw for the grand prize contest winner.
For the past two weeks, this team has been on the lookout to “catch” their peers making healthy food choices for lunch. Each person who “got caught” received a ballot to be entered into a draw for cafeteria vouchers and the grand prize of a Wii system.
"Many students at Hammarskjold don't eat healthy foods, but since our ‘Get Caught’ campaign started I have seen a lot of students eating more fruit and veggies instead of French fries or candy," said Riley Cline, a grade 12 student and one of the key organizers of the contest.
Canada’s Food Guide recommends that youth aged 14 -18 eat seven to eight servings of vegetables and fruit per day. However, only 41% of children and youth are eating five or more servings of vegetables and fruit each day. As well, more than one-third of high school students drink more than one pop on a daily basis.
“The ‘Get Caught’ contest a great way to engage students in promoting healthy eating in their school, and a fun way for them to recognize their peers for making healthy choices,” says Karling Zaporzan, Public Health Dietitian.
The “Get Caught” contest is an initiative of the local Take Heart Coalition’s Eat Smart! Committee and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s youth engagement initiative.
Since the beginning of this school year, the “Get Caught” program has run successfully in four other high schools in the city. More information about the Eat Smart! program can be found at TBDHU.com (click here).