Cohort 5 selected the topic of healthy eating. Students were concerned that youth weren’t aware of the impacts of unhealthy eating, leading to high levels of obesity and other issues. The purpose of the Fuel project was to empower youth to take ownership of their health by improving their nutritional awareness.

To tackle this challenge, the cohort developed a method for coding foods in a way that would make identifying healthy choices simpler and easier. Working with a dietician expert at the University of Oklahoma - Tulsa, the students created a rating system in accordance with USDA Dietary Guidelines. They also created a comprehensive system to promote and teach the use of the Fuel ranking tool in both elementary and middle schools.

The cohort was intentional in devising an approach to teaching the Fuel system in schools in a way that would be fun, positive and approachable for children. They created their own cartoon character with a backstory that explained the rationale for Fuel. The character - an alien named Maverick - used the Fuel system to save his home planet. Maverick’s story was revealed in a series of video lessons and activities that students would follow as they progressed through the Fuel curriculum. This curriculum was designed to be complemented by labels in the school cafeteria that reflected the Fuel ranking system, so students could apply their knowledge to make healthy food choices. The cohort also created an online calculator on the Fuel project website, where students could check the Fuel rating for various foods.

In their third year, the cohort partnered with Union 8th Grade Center to pilot the launch of Fuel in schools. The students worked closely with Union’s dietician to train teachers and cafeteria staff in the curriculum and food labeling protocols. The successful pilot ultimately convinced Union leadership to adopt Fuel system-wide. Following the cohort’s graduation, cohort member Tori Patrock was hired by Union in a part-time summer role to support the transition of the program to Union Schools. However, a continuation of the program at Union was ultimately not pursued.

In addition to Union, Cohort 5 launched a scaled-down version of Fuel at Metro Christian Academy in October 2012. The Fuel system and curriculum was used during the school’s healthy kids week for Pre-K through second grade. Cohort members came to Metro to present the first videos and entertained the students by dressing up in food costumes. Students were encouraged to document their eating choices over the week, and the winning class received a prize. In all, 300 students participated in the Fuel program at Metro Christian Academy.

Dody Patrock, School Nurse at Metro Christian Academy, was highly impressed with the Fuel program: “I can’t speak any more highly of my experience. [The cohort] did a great job communicating with me. I remember being very impressed by their administrative skills... They had a clear structure that flowed really well in terms of who would do what, that made it easy for staff to implement.”

Before graduation, Cohort 5 converted their materials into an implementation manual and corresponding videos that are freely available to enable schools to adopt Fuel in their schools. Ultimately, feedback from schools showed that the logistical burden of labeling cafeteria food was a major hurdle for Fuel’s sustained use. Nevertheless, Dody Patrock doesn’t discount the idea that Fuel could still be transformational. “I wanted to make Fuel a foundational part of our nutrition program. I might dust Fuel off and use it again.”