Impact

Penn State alumna earns Emmy nomination for nutrition music video

'Rockstar Nutritionist' Jill Jayne reinforces importance of breakfast

Penn State and Schreyer Honors College alumna Jill Jayne (right) and Mr. Desayuno perform in the Jump with Jill danceable music video "Get Me Goin'" which was been nominated for an Emmy by the Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the Children/Youth/Teens News Feature category. Credit: courtesy of Jill JayneAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Jill Jayne, known for her entertaining nutrition education program "Jump with Jill," has received an Emmy nomination by the Michigan Chapter for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the Children/Youth/Teens News Feature category. The “Rockstar Nutritionist,” a 2004 Penn State and Schreyer Honors College alumna, wrote, performed and produced “Get Me Goin’,” a song about the importance of eating breakfast, with a cast of students and educators in western Michigan.

“We are really ecstatic that our nutrition education program is being recognized for excellence in entertainment,” said Jayne. “Our job with this video was to make breakfast look and sound irresistible. The ‘Get Me Goin’’ danceable music video glorifies traditionally uneventful school settings with backlighting and showcases school meals prepared from scratch on camera. From the cafeteria, to the classroom, to on-the-go, the video takes you to all the places where you can enjoy a delicious and nutritious breakfast in style.”

The “Get Me Goin’” music video, filmed last year at Jenison Junior High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, featured more than 60 students who auditioned for a chance to participate. The catchy song lyrics include ideas for healthy and quick meals for “the break of a long night fast.” Isolating the sounds of the cooking compose the sound of the song; A cereal box is a maraca and fruit bowls are agogo bells that build the Latin club feel of the song.

Produced by WOTV-TV, with nutrition education program sponsorship support from the Michigan Dairy Farmers and Processors and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, the video was submitted for Emmy consideration to the Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The regional Emmys will be awarded for several categories in a ceremony on June 13, in Detroit.

“There is so much data showing that breakfast eaters perform better in school, have better attendance and visit the school nurse less,” Jayne said. “As such, school breakfast is federally reimbursable, just like school lunch, but the hustle of the morning has made breakfast -- this essential and cost-effective meal -- into an afterthought.”  

Billed as the world’s only “rock & roll nutrition show,” Jump with Jill uses music and dance to celebrate healthy habits by transforming nutrition education into a live concert. The singable messages in the upbeat, fun presentations help make healthy habits memorable with each song focused on making a healthy behavior specific and actionable.With four Jump with Jill casts, the show is wrapping up three major tours this semester: a statewide tour of Michigan thanks to the dairy farmers and milk processors that produced the Emmy-nominated “Get Me Goin’" danceable music video, a four-month, 27-school tour of the Midwest sponsored by Michigan-based retailer Meijer and a tour of Department of Defense schools for military families in Europe.

“Get Me Goin’,” one of songs in the danceable music video series, helps students learn and practice the dance moves before the program comes to their schools, with the benefit of helping them get active. “Get Me Goin’” is one of 12 songs on Jump with Jill recent CD release, which includes the hits “The Bone Rap,” with a hip hop, sunglass-wearing gallon of low-fat milk, and naturally sweet fruit aka “Nature’s Candy.” 

Graduating with degrees in nutrition and theater as Jill Jayne Pakulski, Jayne landed a position as the writer and host of a nationally syndicated children’s nutrition program “What’s in the News” for PBS prior to her graduation from Penn State. She added credentials as a registered dietitian and received her master’s degree in nutrition education from Teachers College Columbia University. Drawing from her experiences as a nationally touring musician, actress, public school teacher, Radio Disney DJ, model and puppeteer, Jayne launched Jump with Jill in 2006 in New York City. Her first CD was released in 2008 and a year later, the show completed its first national tour.

To date, the interactive Jump with Jill show has been performed more than 2,000 times for more than half a million children across the United States, Canada and Europe. Redefining how to teach children about health, Jayne’s work has brought her to the White House to visit with Michelle Obama, to perform at NFL stadiums and garnered her a Grammy nomination consideration.

"Get Me Goin'," a music video about the importance of eating breakfast, features Penn State and Schreyer Honors College alumna Jill Jayne, Mr. Desayuno, and a cast of students and educators from western Michigan. The video, part of a Jump with Jayne series of danceable music videos, received an Emmy nomination by the Michigan Chapter for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the Children/Youth/Teens News Feature category. Credit: courtesy Jump with Jill

Last Updated June 5, 2015