AMES, Iowa –Iowa youth and interested adults are invited to participate in a student wellness summit on the Iowa State University campus on July 10. Dan Gable, Olympic wrestling gold medalist and member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and Charlie Wittmack, the only Iowan to climb Mount Everest, will be featured speakers. Organizers have dubbed the event a YEAH! (Youth Empowered Ambassadors for Health) summit. 

The free event is sponsored by Iowa Partners: Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and Iowa Department of Education’s Iowa Team Nutrition. AFHK is the only nonprofit organization formed especially to address the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on changes at school.

“Participants will learn how to be more effective advocates for healthier lifestyles in their local schools and communities,” said Ruth Litchfield, Iowa State University Extension nutritionist and co-chair of AFHK. “Our speakers will share stories about setting and achieving goals at both a personal and community level. Our goal is to give participants the tools they need to promote individual as well as local school wellness policies.”

Students who have initiated successful school projects will be among the speakers. Participants also will learn how school staff can support student advocacy as well as how to develop action plans that can be used to apply for mini-grants to support local activities.

“Students cannot make a difference alone,” Litchfield said. “Coaches, food service personnel, teachers, nurses and wellness policy team members also are encouraged to attend the full-day summit with student representatives.”

Registration information is available at www.iowa.gov/educate/content/view/930/866/

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