Campers were exercising, reading nutrition labels and separating food groups. They were learning about healthy living, but it was all disguised as fun.
Children attended their first day of American Diabetes Association’s Camp Power Up Santa Clarita on Saturday at the Boys & Girls Club. All of the campers were youth at risk for diabetes or have a family history of Type 2 diabetes.
“It’s to change a lifestyle,” said Laura Kirchhoff, the camp development manager with the American Diabetes Association. “Not just change for a day.”
Kirchhoff explained that campers learned about food proportions, the different kinds of fat, labels and exercise on Saturday. Parents will be joining their young ones on Sunday.
“(Parents) are learning how to reinforce at home what these kids are learning here,” she said.
Campers and their families will be coming back every three months to track progress and reinforce health-related lessons.
Diabetes strikes nearly 30 million Americans including one in 10 people in the Santa Clarita Valley, according to information released by the camp.
Brianna Bailey, 11, was just one of the many children who attended the program. She was excited to learn all about health and even more excited to share information she learned with her parents.
Bailey has family member with diabetes and hopes that she can help them live healthier lives.
“I’m going to tell everyone what I learned,” she said. “I was eating too many unhealthy things. I’m going to change a lot.”
