Fuel Up! Innovation Challenge Convenes Students from Across the Country to Pitch Their Ideas for a Chance to Win Grants and Make Their Solutions a Reality

The Fuel Up! Innovation Challenge event leverages GENYOUth's AdVenture Capital, a social entrepreneurship program for students 13-17 that inspires, empowers and funds youth-led initiatives to drive new and innovative ways for improving nutrition and physical activity in schools nationwide. AdVenture Capital is offered to students across the country, including participants in GENYOUth's flagship program, Fuel Up to Play 60, the largest in-school health and wellness program in the country, developed by the National Football League and National Dairy Council, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Fuel Up! Innovation Challenge is one piece of this year's Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador Summit, which brings together 183 student leaders and 85 educators from the Fuel Up to Play 60 program to spend four days exchanging ideas, getting inspired, and receiving the ultimate leadership and communications training opportunities from subject matter experts and business leaders.

The Fuel Up! Innovation Challenge, was made possible by the generous sponsorship from Land O'Lakes, Quaker, and Ecolab. A total of 120 students participated in the competition and worked with adult mentors from sponsor companies and partners to design solutions to healthy eating challenges in schools.

At the end of their "design time," students pitched individually to a panel of judges, which included:

• Chris Policinski, President and CEO, Land O'Lakes
• Lydia Botham, Vice President, Land O'Lakes Foundation and Community Relations
• Dana Nelson, Vice President Legacy and Community Partnerships, Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee
• Jill Wyant, Executive Vice President, and President, Global Food & Beverage, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Ecolab
• Jean Ragalie-Carr, RDN, LDN, President, National Dairy Council 

The judges determined 40 total winners with a total of $40,000 granted at the end of the event to help support the winning ideas and project implementation in schools. Some of the winning projects included:

• Nick D. (Arizona): "Reinventing the Snack Bar"
• Conner M. (Nebraska): "From Waste to Full of Taste"
• Chase C. (Florida): "Farm to School: Inform the Students"

"Land O'Lakes is proud to be part of the Fuel Up! Innovation Challenge, which cultivates social entrepreneurship in students and provides them with a platform to have their voices heard among many business leaders," said Chris Policinski, President and CEO, Land O'Lakes, and judge in the event. "This event is an invaluable opportunity to not only connect those voices with multiple industries, but to showcase a dynamic, future workforce. Their ideas are making schools and communities healthier across the nation."

As part of a comprehensive effort to measure the impact of students' ideas in improving health and wellness in their schools and communities, AdVenture Capital has also released a report today with an overview of the program's history, successes to-date and vision for the future. "GENYOUth's AdVenture Capital 2017 Progress Report highlights five successful years of learning derived through the efforts and ideas of student social entrepreneurs across America," said Alexis Glick, CEO, GENYOUth. "When the AdVenture Capital program launched, we never dreamed that it would grow from five initial winners to a program that had supported over 600 student-led health and wellness projects. I am proud that each student is now benefitting from a cadre of blue chip health and wellness partners that have generously invested in the vitality and success of our future youth."

Click here to view the full AdVenture Capital 2017 Progress Report: Empowering America's Next Generation of Social Entrepreneurs

About GENYOUth
GENYOUth empowers students to create a healthier future for themselves and their peers by convening a network of private and public partners to raise funds for youth wellness initiatives that bolster healthy, high-achieving students, schools and communities nationwide. We believe that all students are change-agents, who deserve the opportunity to identify and lead innovative solutions that positively impact nutrition, physical activity, and student success. For more information about GENYOUth, visit https://www.genyouthnow.org/.

About AdVenture Capital
AdVenture Capital ("AdCap") is a social entrepreneurship program of GENYOUth, which provides funding, mentoring and experiences to students ages 13 and older with ideas for improving health and wellness in their schools and communities. To learn more, visit the digital platform at https://www.adcapyouth.org/.

About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America's dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. The program additionally encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. As a result of the program, last year 14 million students made better food choices and are getting more physically active during the school day. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.

About Land O’Lakes, Inc. 
Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2016 annual sales of $13.2 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 209 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 96 years of operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food production including LAND O LAKES^® Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition and WinField® United. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minn.

About Ecolab 
A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2016 sales of $13 billion and 48,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. For more Ecolab news and information, visit www.ecolab.com. Follow us on Twitter @ecolab, Facebook at facebook.com/ecolab, LinkedIn at Ecolab or Instagram at Ecolab Inc.  

About The Quaker® Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 135 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Quaker® Oats, Quaker® Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy® Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter @Quaker.

Contact:
Lisa McComb
SVP, Communications
Dairy Management Inc.
O: (847) 627-3744
C: (630) 484-1158
[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE GENYOUth

Related Links

https://www.genyouthnow.org