HealthyKansas sponsors 2008 Sunflower State Games Essay Contest

Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced this week that the 2008 Sunflower State Games Essay Contest will be sponsored by HealthyKansas.  

“It is important children understand at a young age the benefits of exercise and healthy eating habits,” Sebelius said. “This essay contests offers students an opportunity to write about the impact of healthy activities on their lives.”

This year’s essay topic is ‘What is your favorite physical activity, and how does it help you stay healthy?’ The contest is open to all Kansas first through six grade students. Winners will receive a Sunflower State Games gold medal, official t-shirt, Barnes and Noble gift card, and a $100 savings bond.

Entries are due by April 4 and can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:

The Sunflower State Games
820 S. Kansas Ave.
Topeka, KS 66612
Fax: (785)235-1308
sunflowergames@sbcglobal.net

For more information or for contest rules, please visit: www.healthykansas.org or http://www.sunflowergames.com/about/essay_contest .  

The HealthyKansas program is focused on encouraging children in schools, adults in the workplace and seniors in their community to make simple, but powerful lifestyle changes, including:

• Increasing physical activity to 30 minutes a day, five to six times each week;
• Eating healthy, including eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily; and
• Avoiding tobacco use.

Governor Sebelius launched HealthyKansas in November 2004 as a comprehensive effort to control health care costs, improve the quality of health care and raise awareness of the dangers of obesity in children and adults.

To learn more about how you can make healthy lifestyle changes or to complete an online pledge, log onto www.healthykansas.org.

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