Commit to Be Fit Newsletter
April 18th, 2022
19 May 2023/ Issue No. 247
Recent Happenings
Harvest of the Month
Ms. Liz Beling, Regional Farm to School Liaison, joined by Commit to Be Fit, conducted the monthly Harvest of the Month taste testing at RCES. Students learned fun facts about strawberries and sampled a tasty strawberry compote served over waffles. The combination was a hit with all grade levels! Check out the recipe in our Featured Recipe section below.
Nutrition Education
ABL students have been planting vegetables in the outdoor raised beds. So far, they have put in green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, banana peppers, and jalapenos.
Prize Winner
Congratulations, Katherine Todd! She won our Commit Club prize drawing for 2- one tube trip passes at Shenandoah River Outfitters. Enjoy, Katherine!!
Announcements
CASH IN YOUR POINTS BY MONDAY
Our final chance to cash in point for prizes is here! If you have attended any of our classes, workshops, or events, you have points.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK YOUR POINTS!
Cash in your points NOW thru Monday, May 22nd. (Points will not roll over to the next school year)
CLICK HERE TO CASH IN YOUR POINTS FOR PRIZES!
**Prizes will be available for pick-up from the school board office on Monday, May 15th- Monday, May 22nd from 8 am- 4:30 pm.
Prizes are shown below. Visit www.rappc2bf.com/activities for more details.
Please Take a Moment to Share Your Feedback
Commit to Be Fit invites you to participate in this short, anonymous survey to help us identify ways to strengthen our community offerings for the upcoming school year. Your feedback is very valuable to us. We greatly appreciate your input.
CLICK HERE to begin this anonymous survey.
POP Bucks Market Bags & Tokens
Exciting News—POP Bucks are back! Through a PATH Foundation grant, Commit to Be Fit is excited to continue the POP (Power of Produce) Bucks program to provide access to local food and support our local 2023 Farmers Market season. EVERY Rappahannock County Public Schools student has the opportunity to redeem a POP Bucks Market Bag, which will include local produce, protein, bread, and more! Plus, NEW THIS YEAR, every student picking up a market bag will be given two $5 tokens to redeem for additional items at participating market vendors. To learn more and/or to sign-up for your appointment date (REQUIRED), visit https://www.rappc2bf.com/pop-bucks
*Once the sign-up is full for the upcoming weekend, the link will close. Be sure to check back each week for availability.
Upcoming Classes & Workshops
Our final class of SY22-23, Walking Group, will be held on Monday, May 22nd. Stay tuned for information on our Fall offerings. Be sure to share your ideas for future offerings in our community survey.
Thank you to everyone that joined us for our free fitness and wellness classes! It has been our pleasure to join you on your path to better health and wellness. We hope to see you back in the fall!
Tips from the Team
Try Something That Scares You
Summer is finally here! (Well…. almost.) For many, it’s time to think about vacations and having fun. I want to encourage everyone and anyone to take it a step further this summer. Try something that scares you. Taking an aerobatic plane ride, skydiving, paragliding, or riding roller coasters might be on a list of things making you think H, E, double hockey sticks to the no. However, maybe you have a fear of traveling alone, going to a public gym, taking a workout class, or even asking someone on a date (if you’re single of course.) We all fear different things.
Being scared is not a bad thing. We get the chance to be uncomfortable. I read a great line recently that stated there is no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone. Facing our fears can help us learn more about ourselves. Doing something we thought we were incapable of builds confidence and self-esteem. So take this summer and do something scary. You may build new relationships or find something new you love doing. Remember to always be safe and use good risk assessment.
Mental Health Awareness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is a serious topic and affects both youth and adults nationwide. A wide range of mental health symptoms can adversely affect daily living, including trouble sleeping, mood swings, increased feeling of guilt or worthlessness, quiet or withdrawn, among many others. It is important to remember that whatever you are feeling is valid, and you are NOT alone.
We all cope in different ways to manage our anxiety and stress. Here are a few tips and strategies on those days when your mental health disrupts your daily life:
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced meal
- Take a minute to breathe and focus on things you can control
- Exercise (daily walks)
- Learn what triggers your anxiety
- Spend some time with a furry friend
- Write in a journal
- Color an adult coloring book
- Find a friend/family member to confide in when you’re having a bad day
Wellness Fun Fact
Featured Recipe
Strawberry Compote
Ingredients
1 pound strawberries2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice or water
Cornstarch (optional)
Directions
Rinse your strawberries. Cut off the green tops and halve the strawberries. If you want a smother compote, you can cut them into smaller pieces.
Place the berries in a saucepan. Add the sugar and juice or water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the strawberries are all soft, between 5 and 10 minutes.
Taste, and add more sugar if necessary. The compote will thicken a little while it cools off, but if you think it's too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and add it to the saucepan.
There are plenty of ways to serve. For example, you can eat your compote with yogurt, on a waffle, or on toast!
Commit to Be Fit is a school sponsored, grant funded program in Rappahannock County, Virginia. Through the generosity of the PATH Foundation, Commit to Be Fit was created to promote a culture of wellness in Rappahannock County Public Schools and the Rappahannock community.