Fit kids day
Written by: Julia McCandless
A little imagination and a huge willingness to help their community was all it took for two ninth graders to start their own non-profit project to promote healthy eating. Victoria Cruz and Sofia de la Peña are best friends and Girl Scout Cadettes who are actively involved in their school and community. When they were recently tasked with completing their Girl Scout Silver Award, they decided to turn to one of the most relevant issues kids their age face: childhood obesity.
To tackle the issue in a meaningful and effective way, the girls decided to expand Fit Kids Day, an event founded by Sofia three years ago to not only encourage physical fitness, but to educate kids about nutrition as well. They created the V&S Café Booth and offered information and healthy food samples to help educate children and families on the importance of healthy eating. The girls also demonstrated for children how to make easy, nutritious alternatives to junk food. The event was so successful that Fit Kids has permanently added a nutritional component and the students are working to spread their reach even further by bringing Fit Kids Day to cities throughout South Florida. While the girls hope to make an impact on children and children’s view of food, they also hope that it will ultimately have a trickle-down effect so that children will start to help their parents and families make healthier food choices.
In recognition of their tremendous community service, Sofia and Victoria were recently selected to represent the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida at the 2014 Girl Scout Leadership Institute (GSLI) in Salt Lake City. The GSLI is a triennial conference held during the National Convention that offers girls, ages 14 and older, three days of leadership workshops and activities. This year’s GSLI theme is “Girls Change the World” and will to focus on seven major issues including teen violence, healthy relationships, basic needs, inclusion/diversity, self-image/body image, education, and the status of women. Participants will be challenged to develop a plan to take on one of these issues within their very own communities.
If the development of Fit Kids Day is any indication, it seems that Sofia and Victoria will have much to offer at this year’s GSLI event and to the South Florida community.
We can’t wait to see what they come up with next!
The Girl Scout Leadership Institute (GSLI) is a triennial conference that provides girls 14 and older with three days of leadership skill-building activities tied to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). GSLI 2014 will focus on big issues that girls around the world are passionate about.
For more information visit convention.girlscouts.org
Fit Kids Day is an event with outdoor activities and healthy food alternatives. It also involves parents, schools, coaches, elected officials, and community organizations collaborating to bring awareness to the current epidemic of childhood obesity.
For more information email to [email protected] or call 786.253.7250
