Dear Delaware Educator:

Obesity and sedentary lifestyles are having a profound impact on the health of our youth. According to 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, almost one-third of Delaware high school students are either overweight or obese, and only one in every three students meets recommended levels of daily activity. Currently Delaware ranks as the 18th most obese state in the nation. The impact on the health, academics, and future lives of our students is being compromised by lifestyles that neglect physical activity and healthy nutrition.

The Get Up And Do Something campaign was initiated to address this crisis, and we would like to ask for your help. To make our youth more aware of this problem and to promote physical activity and healthy eating to them, we are conducting a video contest. The video contest is open to all Delaware students in grades 6 through 12. It is a wonderful opportunity for students to get involved in the campaign, have some fun, and engage their creative energies in promoting healthy behaviors among their peers.

The video contest involves having a student (or group of students) produce a 30-second video that promotes being physically active and/or healthy eating. Videos that meet the terms & conditions of the contest will be judged by a panel of experts, and the top videos will be put on the Get Up And Do Something website for statewide voting. Winning videos will be awarded prizes, and the grand prize winner will receive a special award along with a chance of the video becoming the main campaign element next year.

The contest is a wonderful opportunity for you to encourage your students to get involved with the campaign, vote for their favorite videos, promote healthy behaviors, and help us address the growing health crisis among our youth. Teachers from Art, English, Health, Physical Education, Technology, Theater, or Music are all encouraged to use this as part of their class and as part of their students’ educational development. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

To find out more about the video contest go to www.getupanddosomething.org and click on the video contest link.

We are very excited about involving our youth in this campaign, and we appreciate your participation in helping our kids to be among the healthiest in the nation.

Sincerely,

Dr. Michael Peterson
Director, Get Up And Do Something