This is a woman who knows what she's doing. One part rockstar, one part nutritionist, Jill Jayne has figured out a way to get kids to care about nutrition. She rocks.
The youthful and enthusiastic Jayne takes her Jump With Jill traveling rock show from school to school, delivering a mix of music, dance and tips for eating right and living healthfully.
Jayne has staged more than 600 "Nutrition Education Through Entertainment" performances in the past four years, and she knows just what she's up against: a generation growing up soaked in media influence.
So she's taken the junk food pitch and turned it on its head, hawking carrots, not Cheetos, betting on the idea that kids are just as likely to remember nutrition songs as they are to remember the catchy jingles of commercials.
So far, she's reached 100,000 kids nationwide.
Jayne's songs are packed with lyrics about the beating heart, the breathing lungs, the importance of activity and the radness of eating well.
"For a healthy body, I like my food slow. I like my food.../potatoes not curly fries, tomatoes not ketchup, and apples not pie./ You'll get burgers in minutes or less; I prefer food without all the mess./ It's grease and sugar that you really order, so I'm singing about something simpler./I like my food slow."
And as with any rock show, she gets the kids on their feet.
"When exercisin, doin' right, get your body moving./You feel it when your heart is workin' out/with your muscles and your bones, you're strong no doubt. Let's move."
The way Jayne sees it, kids need something that appeals to what they care about, and gets them involved in a way that makes sense for their lifestyles.
"A big part of what i do is called 'social norming,'" she says. "If we can make healthy food cooler than unhealthy food, kids will follow like the pied piper. I want the show and the messages to be part of the childhood experience. It should be normal that healthy is fun."
Check out the video below to get a better idea of Jayne's rockstar campaign.
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