Saipan Tribune

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Let's Move Marianas! goes to Mount Carmel School

Students of Mount Carmel School learned of some healthy tips and a couple of energetic moves when the Let's Move Marianas campaign of the Division of Public Health visited the campus this week to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Led by Public Health director Roxanne Diaz, Mount Carmel students were taught about the importance of fighting childhood obesity and childhood cancer.

Diaz was joined by campaign member Amber Mendiola, who taught the students about healthy nutrition as well as the campaign's signature dance routine.

Diaz explained to students that junk food is called that for a reason, citing the amount of sugar and fats that saturate many of the snacks students eat.

In an effort to enforce healthy nutrition, Diaz went so far as to challenge school president Galvin Deleon Guerrero to ban all junk food on campus.

In response, Deleon Guerrero said that he has already taken steps to limit junk food at the school and all other schools in the CNMI.

He said that as a member of the CNMI State Board of Education, he voted to adopt the new nutrition standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under these new standards, food vendors in schools are required to provide more nutritious food options and to limit junk food on their menus.

The morning's focus on nutrition then shifted to physical activity as Mendiola invited students to follow the Let's Move Marianas choreographer in learning a simple but energetic dance routine. Students and teachers all followed along to moves that made them jog, dance, groove, and sweat.

Junior Class president Kaylani Lebria, who is also an accomplished athlete, particularly liked seeing her teachers dancing. “Seeing the teachers dance was something new. It was nice to see them having fun,” she said.

The dance routine will be incorporated into a flash mob that will be staged at the Let's Move Marianas signature event on Sept. 29 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Fitial administration endorsed September as CNMI Childhood Cancer and Childhood Obesity Awareness Month with the theme “Let's Move Marianas!”

The campaign is part of first lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign to raise a generation of healthier kids. To learn more about Let's Move Marianas, call 236-8638 or email letsmovemarianas@gmail.com.