A Rock Island school is beginning a new program to encourage kids to eat healthier. On Wednesday, Earl Hanson Elementary School announced a partnership with the Be Healthy Quad Cities project as part of its new school wellness initiative.
The project, which is funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has helped schools like Earl Hanson provide free breakfast and lunch to its students, including more fruits and vegetables. Principal Dan Coyne-Logan says it's not hard to get his students to eat their fruits and vegetables, so long as they're available.
Coyne-Logan and other school officials hope the new wellness initiatives will help students learn long-term wellness habits. Earl Hanson student Jude agrees, and says more healthy foods will help him stay healthy.
The Be Healthy Quad Cities Initiative hopes partnering with schools like Earl Hanson will help reduce the obesity rate in the Quad Cities by 3 percent over the next several years.
