A Student Nutrition Action Committee (SNAC) gives students who are interested in promoting healthy habits the opportunity to work within the school to improve eating habits. Students who participate in SNAC can educate their classmates about proper nutrition and work with administrators to make important changes within the school, so it is easier for other students and classmates to make healthy choices. Being a SNAC leader will clearly benefit the school community, and it can also benefit individual students!
Being a SNAC leader will:
Give students leadership experience. A SNAC will give students an excellent opportunity to gain leadership experience. This will help them to get other leadership roles in the future, strengthen their resume, and maybe even help get them into college!
Help develop research skills. When students get ready to share interesting nutrition facts with the school community, they’ll have to find legitimate sources to back up their claims. Knowing how to properly research is an important skill, so it’s good to gain practical experience in this area. Try some fun ways for students to introduce and deliver these facts to their peers – games, contests etc.
Provide an opportunity to learn new facts. While researching, students are bound to come across new information. In the process of teaching other people about nutrition, students will teach themselves new things as well.
Improve communication skills. As a SNAC leader, students will talk to administrators and peers to share information and make changes. This practice will help students become more confident speakers and learn to adjust their message and tone for each audience. They’ll find that they can get people to listen better than ever before.
Contributors
Tisa Hill and Julie Apuzzo, Cornell University Division of Nutritional Sciences
Source
For More Information
Become Involved in Healthy Lunchroom Initiatives by Running a Student Nutrition Action Committee
For an example of a Student Nutrition Action Committee in action, see SUNY Potsdam’s SNAC here
Popular Ideas for Student Nutrition Action Committee Events and Fundraisers