Bears center Garza encourages kids to make good choices

When Roberto Garza walked in to the gymnasium at Eastview Middle School in Bartlett, kids shouted, teachers cheered and school staffers stood in awe of the 6-foot, 2-inch, 315-pound Bears center.

That's everyone except Brandon Kendall, a Packers fan who isn't afraid to show it.

Garza summoned Brandon in his green and yellow sweatshirt from the bleachers for some ribbing, but it was the seventh-grader who got the last — and loudest — laugh. Brandon strutted up to Garza and gave him the Aaron Rodgers championship belt pantomime.

Garza stopped by Eastview and Parkwood Elementary School in Hanover Park Friday to congratulate students on their successes in the Midwest Dairy Council and National Football League's Fuel Up to Play 60 challenge. The program promotes healthy eating habits and physical activity for children to stem the rise of childhood obesity.

“To be successful and reach your goals ... whatever you want to do, you need to stay in school, make the right decisions, eat healthy and be active,” Garza said. “Making the right decisions starts now.”

The two schools earned the top spots among 3,000 schools in the northern Illinois area and were the only schools in the state to earn “Touchdown” status.

“What's great about the program is that kids decide what they want to eat and how to exercise,” Garza said.

Garza, who grew up in the small Texas town of Rio Hondo, also shared with students the importance of breakfast.

“You have better focus and can absorb what the teacher is telling you,” Garza told the nearly 1,000 students in the gymnasium at Eastview.

His list of favorite breakfast foods sounds like a menu from the local International House of Pancakes: an omelet with spinach and ham, pancakes, yogurt with granola and strawberries and a glass of milk.

“I weigh 315 pounds,” Garza said. “I like to stop those big, ugly, smelly guys.”

Megan Regan, a seventh-grade student and member of the school's Youth Advisory Council that spearheaded efforts to bring healthier food into the school, said more changes are expected.

“We're trying to get more healthier choices in the snack line like soups and calzones,” Megan said. “We're not done yet.”