STORY BY RYLEE BRETTON
PHOTOS BY ALLISON SCHWEIZER
To learn more about the human body, last week kindergarten through fifth-grade students were able to experience “Body Venture.” Body Venture is an exhibit sponsored by Child Nutrition and Wellness and Kansas State Department of Education. The main goal of Body Venture is to teach kids to eat smart and play hard.
The Body Venture team shows life-like demonstrations that help students learn about the importance of making healthy food choices along with how to be physically active. The demonstrations help provide an exciting atmosphere for the attendees. Engaging, experimental educational activities are also incorporated.
Many activities were provided to the students to help them be engaged with the information being given. These activities included: a 45-foot by 50-foot “Body Venture tour” that represented the human body, classroom activities for prior use, take-home activities, and an extensive list of health resources and information,
Demonstrating healthy eating habits and wellness is a very important topic. One out of every three children in the United States is obese. Many children today are also overfed with foods that contain a lot of sugar and fat. This, in turn, leads them to be undernourished. By showing children different life habits, the Body Venture’s goal is achieved.
To help make the event run smoothly, FHSU HHP and Elementary Education students assisted the Body Venture Team. In total, 151 FHSU students volunteered their time to help with the event.
For some students, the time spent with the children was very valuable.
“My professor required us to come work but I still got a lot of joy out of it because the students were enjoying it and it was a fun way to serve the kids at such a young age,” one of the student volunteers said.
The event was a great way for students to learn new formation and have fun at the same time.
“My favorite part was learning about never smoking,” Lincoln Elementary student Jordan Lell said.
“I learned how to keep your lungs healthy,” Lincoln Elementary student Scarlett Martinez said.
“I liked learning about different fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, and meats,” Lincoln Elementary student Jacksen Gerstener said. “They are very healthy.”
The event turned out to be a major success. There were 631 students in attendance. For more information about “Body Venture” go to https://www.bodyventure.org/BVMenus/Home_BV.html.