Healthy Fueling Station Established at John Glenn High School

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on April 3 at John Glenn High School to launch a brand new fueling station to benefit the school's student athletes. Called the Rocket Fuel Station, the station provides means of refueling for student athletes with a focus on dairy, mainly chocolate milk, which is an excellent choice for students to refuel. Students can also choose such items as granola bars, fruit, and bottled water. Resembling a mini kitchen, the station is located inside the school's weight room and offers a place for students to refuel, rest, and recover following an intense workout. The fueling station is made possible by collaboration between the school, the Detroit Lions Foundation, and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM). A generous Detroit Lions Hometown Grant and matching funds from UDIM totaled $20,000 in contributions for the project and underscores the importance of nutrition in student health and performance.

John Glenn High School Interim Principal Scott Kelley says the Rocket Fuel Station represents the importance of community partnerships and says, "It's an opportunity for our kids to see how important it is to reach out and build those relationships and to bring an added bonus to our athletic program and we're really excited about it. Everything's geared towards athletes and what's good for their bodies and replenishing but it's also an opportunity for us to educate on top of offering those nutrients and doing things the right way."

"At the Detroit Lions Foundation, health and wellness is a pillar of ours and we focus on youth, so making sure our students, student athletes, youth here in the community, that we're providing resources they need to be the best student athletes in the classroom as well as on the field," says Terrance Thomas, Programs Officer with the Detroit Lions Foundation. "Our fans are the lifeblood of our team. It's imperative for us to be out in the community and showing love for our supporters because we know they show love for us."

Aaron Scott is the Community Transformation Manager for UDIM. "We're helping provide the fueling station at John Glenn High School and the reason sports nutrition is important is we want to keep the athletes well-fueled before they work out, during their workout, and after they work out and our Michigan dairy farmers are really excited about his project because we're putting good nutrition into students' bodies," he says. "This is an opportunity to literally have a complete program, they have the strength and condition component and now they have the sports nutrition education component."

The Rocket Fuel Station will be available for students during school hours and for athletes that practice after school to provide a nutritious way to replenish energy.