By Jocelyn Vinoya Serranilla
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern Wildcat Charlotte Sands of the women's fencing team spent her morning on Feb. 13 with elementary school students at River Trails Middle School, encouraging the kids to eat healthy and exercise as part of a national initiative to promote a healthy lifestyle through Fuel Up To Play 60.
"Keep trying to find something that you like, something that will keep you active," she said, addressing the packed gymnasium of the suburban school in Mt. Prospect, Ill.
Sands, who competes in foil for the `Cats, hailed the importance of a balanced meal that she said should include protein and carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. "Drink water and milk," she also quipped.
The New York City native, who has consistently won her events in foil and has helped the `Cats to its No. 7 national ranking this season, inspired the kids to not be afraid to keep trying. "Keep doing things that make you comfortable. I was not great at a lot of sports but I kept trying and enjoying a lot of them," she said.
And Sands showed how she enjoyed the day of Fuel Up To Play 60. After addressing the crowd of middle school students, teachers and staff, and representatives from the Midwest Dairy Council, the junior led by example as she danced, jumped and stretched with the children, even pounding sticks on an exercise ball atop a bucket. Sands excitedly beat on the improvised drum, exhibiting her agility as a fencer.
Paige Tonz, a former Wildcat softball player who currently works as an interim director for Community Relations, looked on as she recalled that just a year ago, she was doing the same thing as a student-athlete. "That's really fun," Tonz smiled.
Fuel Up To Play 60 is an in-school wellness program launched by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League (NFL), with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Illinois, local support comes from the Northwestern Wildcats, the Midwest Dairy Council and the Chicago Bears.
Robin Brown, a registered dietitian and director of health and wellness for the Midwest Dairy Council noted that this year marks the 100th year anniversary of the National Dairy Council, a strong supporter of FUTP 60. She also explained that the FUTP 60 has been in place at RTMS for four years now, and Northwestern Athletics has been a part of the program since its inception at the school.
Tonz, who accompanied Sands at the event, explained that RTMS is one of five elementary schools in the Chicagoland area that Northwestern Wildcats student-athletes visit in an ongoing basis to actively promote a healthy lifestyle through nutritious meals and exercise.