Exeter-Milligan Update: UNICEF Kid Power Program

Exeter-Milligan Elementary Students Embrace the UNICEF Kid Power Program

By Lisa Soukup, Media Specialist and Wellness Committee Chair

UNICEF Kid Power gives kids the power to save lives. By getting active with the UNICEF Kid Power Band, kids go on Missions to learn about new cultures and earn points. Points unlock funding from partners, parents and fans, and funds are used by UNICEF to deliver lifesaving packets of therapeutic food to severely malnourished children around the world. The more kids move, the more points they earn, the more lives they save.

The UNICEF Kid Power Program is a Kids Helping KidsⓇ initiative designed for school-age children. The program promotes physical activity and global awareness with real-life impact: saving the lives of severely malnourished children.

To date, more than 189,000 UNICEF Kid Power Team Members have unlocked over five million packets of life saving therapeutic food for children around the world.

When children participate in UNICEF Kid Power, their everyday activity can help nourish a severely malnourished child. They become empowered when they realize their steps add up and count toward saving the life of a child in need.

Additionally, active students are better learners. An independent evaluation of UNICEF Kid Power in Sacramento schools found that kids participating in the program were 55% more active than their peers not participating. Students who engage with Kid Power have also been shown to achieve recommended levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) 44% more days than their peers.

Only 1 in 4 American kids is getting enough physical activity, while almost 1 in 4 globally is malnourished. UNICEF Kid Power uniquely tackles both of these challenges by empowering kids to be part of the solution: by getting more active they can help end global malnutrition.

Malnutrition is attributable to nearly half of all deaths of children under the age of five globally. Nearly 17 million children worldwide suffer from the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, severe acute malnutrition.

Each elementary K-5 has received a fitness band to wear during the school day. (Sixth grades participated last year and if they bring their bands back, they may get involved as well.) They are moving to help end global malnutrition and save lives, one step at a time. Miss Lincoln and Mrs. L. Soukup are working together to run the program at both locations. Each week every class is setting a goal for how many steps or Power Points they want to reach. Their bands will sync each week to see how the class has done.

2,400 steps = 1 Power Point

10 Power Point or 24,000 steps = 1 therapeutic food packet

Please encourage your child, grandchild, and neighbor to move when they can. It saves lives!

Pictured is the 4^th grade modeling the step counters they received as part of the Carol White PE Grant.

Seated on floor: Ronald Babula, Selah Petersen, Carver Kanode, and Jonah Geiger

Seated on chairs or kneeling: Alivia Luzum, Kiley Oldehoeft, Kaydence Haase, Avery Nichols, and Brett Kallhoff

Standing: Tucker Svec, Trevin Ronne, Logan Krupicka, Alexis Saatmann, and Jase Luzum