Students exercise to help malnourished children

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Local 5th-grade students are staying active. They're also helping children who are suffering from famine to get healthy. 

Cynthia Lilly's 5th grade class at Forrest Hills Elementary School exercises to stay healthy and to help feed children suffering from famine and malnutrition.

Student Giselle Tamayo said, "I enjoy doing this because it is a fun way to get active but at the same time help other people."

They committed the entire school year to a campaign called UNICEF Kid Power. UNICEF gave the kids electronic exercise bands to wear and track their daily activity. When the entire class reaches 12,000 steps, UNICEF sends a food packet to a needy country.

"So it is helping them get fit, get in shape. Helping them help other students this is a community service project," Ms. Lilly said.

"I think that this is an opportunity for us who have more things to sort of give back to the community," Frank Thomas a student said.

In addition to promoting exercise, the class learns about different cultures in far away places like Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, and Guatemala. So far, her class has earned more than 10,000 food packets.

"I'm just very proud of them, I'm very proud of them," Ms. Lilly said.

They're exercising to help themselves and to create a better world where no child goes hungry. The program has helped save the lives of more than 33,000 children so far.