Students at Floyd Elementary School were surrounded by activities that promoted a healthy lifestyle.  Each classroom had healthy snacks delivered to them where students had the opportunity to try forms of fruits and/or vegetables that might not be in their daily diets.  They also received a nutrition mini-lesson where good eating habits were discussed as they enjoyed their snacks.

Rob Campbell, the PE teacher, had many exciting physical activities available in the gym that each student had the chance to participate in.  The day was a success and the message of living a healthy lifestyle was heard by all including Lisa Pluska, Director of Instruction for Floyd County Public Schools.

“Virginia Healthy Youth Day was an incredible experience for the students, staff, and volunteers that participated.  Students were excited about the lessons, healthy snacks, and activities provided. Teaching the basics of living a healthy lifestyle is important for all of us to hear and remember and we were excited to partner with New River Valley Community Services to deliver this important message to our students,” commented Pluska.

Established by a Virginia General Assembly resolution, Virginia Healthy Youth Day is held every Jan. 20 by Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth and promotes physical fitness, good nutrition and healthy lifestyles for Virginia’s children.

“Virginia Healthy Youth Day reminds us that being physically active should be a year-round goal for Virginia’s young people and not limited to just warm summer days,” says VFHY Executive Director Marty Kilgore.

Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell kicked off Virginia Healthy Youth Day during an hour-long Virginia Health Youth Day event on the lawn of the State Capitol on January 20. In addition to the celebration at the State Capitol, VFHY sponsored 20 other Virginia Healthy Youth Day events across the state, from the coalmining country of far Southwest Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay and up to Northern Virginia. (See the complete list of statewide celebrations at www.vfhy.org.)

About the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth:
Established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1999, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth is responsible for statewide efforts to prevent and reduce youth tobacco use and childhood obesity. Since the Foundation began its work in 2001, high school smoking in Virginia has been cut by a third and the number of middle school smokers has dropped by more than 65 percent!

The Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth directly reaches more than 110,000 children through classroom-based prevention programs in public schools, after-school programs, community centers, daycares and prevention programs across the Commonwealth. The Foundation’s award-winning “Y do u think” marketing campaign delivers prevention messages to 400,000 children annually through TV and radio ads and Internet content.

For more information, visit www.vfhy.org or read our brochure.