Super Apple Man Motivates Elementary Students to Eat Healthy & Be Kind
posted on April 30, 2013
Mixing athletics and nutrition, Don Blake, a.k.a ‘Super Apple Man’ visits schools across South Dakota and Nebraska sharing positivity, health education and ‘the banana dance.’ Suited up with his red cape and sunshades, Super Apple Man led Red Cloud Elementary students last Friday through song and dance sharing fun facts about healthy foods and reasons to stay positive and happy.
“The response here at Red Cloud was tremendous,” says Blake. “The kids were being respectful, attentive and participating. The teachers were awesome too! They were out there dancing with them – and the kids saw that! And so I give an A+ to Red Cloud.”
Blake has been to Red Cloud Indian School in the past and has enjoyed seeing students grow, noting that his first performance at the school was nearly nine years ago and that those students are now in high school.
“When kids are happy and kind and respectful, your body chases away stress,” continues Blake. “We do the orange dance, and the banana dance, and the apple dance, and the carrot… And while we have fun and move around and act silly, I have them repeat after me: ‘Bananas have potassium. Potassium helps fight muscle cramps. Oranges have vitamin C. Vitamin C helps fight against the cold and flu.’ I hope this will help them to remember these facts and motivate them to care about what they eat.”
“I love my job. I don’t make a whole lot of money doing this, but I love it,” says Blake who notes that he’s happy living simply and spreading his message to students young and old. In addition to his elementary school performances, he also speaks with middle and high school students about the power of kindness and caring about others.