Subway finishes up ‘Food Feud’ campaign at a Logan elementary school
“Sam Stayfit” and “Nikki Nutrition” have been educating kids at elementary schools all over Utah for the past several weeks. But, not about math, social studies, science or English – through a “food feud.”
The two actors, who work for Summit Group, a public relations firm hired by Subway restaurant, visited a Logan elementary school just before USU’s Spring Break to teach kids how to eat healthy and stay fit.
Otherwise known as Daniel Eskelsen and Mary Pitt, the healthy living gurus hosted the game show, “Food Feud,” at Ellis Elementary, located at 348 W. 300 North, Friday, March 5.
Audrey Maynard, who also works for the Summit Group and travels with Eskelsen and Pitt to put on educational assemblies at the schools, said they’ve reached about 25,000 kids from Logan to St. George since February 2. Friday’s performance at Ellis was temporarily their last, she said, although campaigns in other states may start soon.
“A healthier body is a happier body,” Eskelsen and Pitt tell the kids during their show.
As the kids at Ellis walked into their gymnasium-turned-auditorium Friday morning, they saw a stage that had been transformed into the back of a Subway restaurant – ready to have sandwiches made. The audience was quickly divided into two teams and representatives were choosen. The race was on.
“Throughout the day, we touch a lot of things that have germs on them,” Pitt said to the student representatives. In other words, wash your hands. So, they did.
Next up was a nutrition game. The first team to get the right answer got to put that “answer” on their 6-foot sub sandwich. Conveniently, the “answers” were things like lettuce, tomatoes and turkey.
After a loud 10 minutes of sandwich making and cheering (the green team won, by the way), Eskelsen and Pitt said it was time for “Motion Commotion.” The entire student body and even some of the teachers stood up to learn how to stay fit.
After running in place, hopping on one foot and bending knees, Pitt told the group that they could even do most of those exercises while watching TV.
“Do anything that you like to do outside though when the weather is nice enough,” she said.
Eskelsen told the kids that for their age, they should be exercing at least 60 minutes everyday.
Pitt, who lives in Centerville, and Eskelsen, from Farmington, said they became involved in the performance by hearing about the opportunity from acquiantances. Both like to act and have been in musicals and plays, they said.
“It’s so fun doing this,” Pitt said. “The kids are so cute. We’ve even written a list of fun experiences we’ve had with them.”
Maynard said because the last few months in Utah have been so successful, Summit Group may take the act to other states. Both Pitt and Eskelsen said they’d be interested in going elsewhere.
So, soon, other kids may be learning that “a healthier body is a happier body.”
-emilieholmes@cc.usu.edu
Two students who were choosen from the audience at Ellis Elementary, make a giant sub sandwhich — the healthy way. (Photo by Jamie Crane)