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Program encourages healthy lifestyle for children

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By Kristie Schiefer

News Assignment Editor

Six Bonaventure students teamed up to create a project that culminated in the program “My Happy Healthy Kids” this past week.

Team co-leader Samantha Humphrey came up with the idea during the fall 2012 semester for her MSC 330 Introduction to Entrepreneurship class. This semester, co-leader Arielle Balthazard partnered with Cody Clifford, Colleen Guifoyle, Devin Kane and Sarah Schlagenhauf as well as the local YMCA for use of facilities and generating an audience, and ARAMARK for training for the food event.

The initial idea of helping children develop healthy eating habits for the purpose of improving their self-esteem and overall attitude toward living and school morphed into My Happy Healthy Kids, according to Bernard Stoecklein, Board of Trustees member.

Planning began in January after the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) service trip to the Bahamas, according to Clifford.

“The team of six students, amid carrying full course loads at St. Bonaventure and a plethora of other volunteer efforts at the university, met regularly throughout each week for the last six months,” Stoecklein said. “They met with me almost once a week in a telephone conference call and on all my visits to the campus.”

Students worked with 60 kids ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade Wednesday to today at the Cattaraugus County YMCA. Bona’s students worked with groups of 20 kids each day. The kids, who were on spring break, were separated by class year, according to Clifford.

Balthazard said this project is unique because participants are teaching kids how to cook and be involved in the decision making about what they are eating.

“If the kids are actually involved, they will more likely be interested in what they are doing,” she said.

She also said the kids were extremely enthusiastic during Wednesday’s event.

“They were smiling and many said that they loved making food for themselves and the other activities along with it,” she said.

My Happy Healthy Kids is a legacy project of the Gubbio Leadership Series, a new leadership program started by Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and a partner with Clare College, according to Todd Palmer, associate professor of management.

Palmer said select students received leadership training in fall 2012, participated in the Bahamas service trip in January and now are working in teams on their legacy projects.

“A key feature of the Gubbio is the mentoring provided by our Board of Trustee members,” Palmer said. “In this case, Buzzy Stoecklein, CEO of CMS Atlantic, has been working with the team extensively. He even served as a business adviser in the Bahamas.”

Stoecklein has been involved with student life at St. Bonaventure for the last eight years and said he was delighted to receive Palmer’s invitation and immediately accepted.

“This experience for me has been richly rewarding in the sense that I have had the opportunity to work with not just the two teams that I am advising and mentoring, but also interacting with all the students involved in the Gubbio Leadership Program,” Stoecklein said. Stoecklein also believes leadership programs like this are very important for students.

“They allow students to develop relationships both in the university and college setting but also outside in the real world while they are getting an education,” he said. “They are able to interact with professionals in all levels of organizations and with varying skillsets for a common purpose of collaboration, service and worthwhile missions and ideas.”

Palmer said the project is indicative of the high value nature of this types of work.

“Our goal is to create a project that will have high impact and hopefully longevity,” he said.

Balthazard said the group really wants the families to be involved with helping the kids make healthy decisions.

“We have created a website with many recipes and healthy ideas,” she said. “We also have a Facebook page for the families and anyone interested in our project to like and give us feedback about the project. We have gotten a lot of positive response and are hoping to expand the project to target a much wider audience.”

Stoecklein said this particular project can have a long-lasting impact and special impact on not just the children, but also the parents and teachers.

“They will be able to interact with the children and use the website for continued learning of better cooking and eating habits that will sustain them throughout their lives.”

For more information visit the website myhappyhealthykids.org.

schiefkm10@bonaventure.edu

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