UNK Hosts 22nd Annual Nebraska Kids Fitness and Nutrition Day
- Organized annually by the UNK Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, the multi-venue event takes place at Foster Field, Cushing Coliseum, and the Health and Sports Center.
- Masterminded by Kate Heelan, PhD, and Kaiti George, LMNT, the program pairs young learners with university majors to make physical activity and dietary education engaging.
- Nearly 200 UNK students gain practical, professional experience by running the day's curriculum.
The University of Nebraska–Kearney hosted its 22nd Annual Nebraska Kids Fitness and Nutrition Day on Thursday, Sept. 18, bringing fourth-grade students to campus for interactive health and wellness education.
Organized annually by the UNK Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, the multi-venue event takes place at Foster Field, Cushing Coliseum, and the Health and Sports Center. Participating students traveled from school districts across Nebraska, including Alma, Amherst, Axtell, Shelton Elm Creek, Franklin, Holdrege, Kearney, and Southern Valley, as detailed by the source articles.
Masterminded by Kate Heelan, PhD, and Kaiti George, LMNT, the program pairs young learners with university majors to make physical activity and dietary education engaging. George serves as a UNK lecturer, registered dietitian, and Loper athletics sports dietitian, helping coordinate the schedule that runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Hands-On Stations and Student Involvement
Nearly 200 UNK students gain practical, professional experience by running the day’s curriculum. Participating children are split into alternating groups, spending part of their time on physical movement and the rest on dietary instruction.
At Foster Field, health and physical education majors lead physical stations featuring activities like UNO Fitness and Power Ropes. Meanwhile, nutritional stations instruct students on concepts such as energy balance, MyPlate guidelines, Portion Distortion, Label Logic, food safety, and proper handwashing techniques.
George emphasized the value of the university students’ contributions, noting that their work drives the success of the interactive sessions.
Long-Term Impact Across Nebraska Schools
The annual initiative has established strong continuity across participating school districts. Many schools return year after year, demonstrating a dedicated institutional commitment to student health and wellness.
Even when schedule conflicts arise, local educators express strong interest in returning for future programs. This sustained engagement highlights the measurable footprint the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences maintains across regional elementary education.