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SONOMA, CALIFORNIA — April 7, 2010. Today, the Kid Scoop Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Sonoma, California, sent Veronica Talbert, one of its young reporters, to the White House to cover the Student Town Hall meeting. The meeting, which was chaired by First Lady, Michelle Obama, will address the need to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity in the U.S.
The First Lady is working on a nationwide program called “Let’s Move!” which inspires children of all ages to make smart and healthy decisions when it comes to food and exercise. The Let’s Move! campaign will focus on childhood obesity through approaches that mobilize public and private sector resources. Let’s Move! will involve families, communities and schools, all of which impact the long-term health of children.
Founder of Kid Scoop Newspaper, Vicki Whiting says “If kids are going to take responsibility for their health, it is their own personal choices that will make the biggest difference. I think the White House is on target in taking the message of the Let’s Move! campaign direct to kids.
“By letting kids listen to the First Lady talk about the campaign and then share that information kid to kid, I think it is more likely that the message will be heard and be taken on by kids. They can own the cause. Kid Scoop is about empowering young people through writing, education and participation.”
Kid Scoop produces a newspaper just for kids. It encourages kids between the ages of 7 and 12 to read, write, and think about the world around them. Topics featured within each edition range from American history to lessons on financial literacy. Health and fitness are also issues featured in many editions of Kid Scoop.
Like the First Lady’s initiative, Kid Scoop works nationwide empowering the young voice. It’s Hometown Hero competition, which took place last year, was created by 12-year-old Olivia de Raadt-St. James. The Hometown Hero competition asked children across America to write about someone they admire in their hometown. “It gave children all over America an opportunity to have their voice heard in a society that usually forgets about the value and knowledge that children can offer,” says Olivia.
Photos, video and interviews available on request.
