Preview: First Lady Michelle Obama On "iCarly"

PerezHilton.com has posted this video preview of First Lady Michelle Obama's upcoming appearance on Nickelodeon TV show "iCarly," which will air in January of 2012.  Now known for her dance moves thanks to the Let's Move! campaign, the First Lady in the clip grooves to Maroon 5’s “Can’t Stop” with stars Miranda Cosgrove and Jennette McCurdy, as part of the show's "Random Dancing!" segment.

"Holy shiz! Michelle Obama really knows how to SHAKE IT!" wrote Hilton. "We are legitimately impressed, gurl..."

As part of her Joining Forces campaign to support military families, Mrs. Obama filmed the episode in Los Angeles last June.

Teen TV stars from Nickelodeon joined Mrs. Obama in Washington, DC, in September for the Worldwide Day of Play event, where she announced a milestone for the PALA Challenge, a cornerstone of the Let's Move! campaign. Cosgrove, laid up with a broken ankle, was not at the event.

Mrs. Obama didn't dance, but she did play ping pong in the White House with boy band Big Time Rush.

First Lady Lauds America's Educators As "Unsung Heroes" In Battle Against Childhood Obesity

Mrs. Obama throws a Let's Move! party: A thousand guests attend South Lawn celebration for HealthierUS School Challenge...
It was a festive atmosphere on the very sunny South Lawn on Monday afternoon as First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed about 1,000 school officials from across the US to a party that celebrated her goal of doubling the number of schools enrolled in the HealthierUS School Challenge in a year. The original goal was 1,250 schools, but it has now been surpassed: There are actually 1,631 schools certified in the program, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced to the cheering crowd. He stood beside Mrs. Obama as she offered words of praise to the school cafeteria professionals, nutrition directors and principals, and hailed their efforts to serve healthy food and encourage fitness as something that will have an impact for generations to come. (Above: Mrs. Obama with Vilsack and 6th grader Alex Roman, who introduced her)

"You’re affecting the choices they’re going to make for the rest of their lives," Mrs. Obama, clad in a pink, sleeveless dress with black accents, said. "You’re affecting not just how these kids feed themselves, but how they’re going to feed their own children."

"We can affect who they will be forever," Mrs. Obama added. "And that is truly, truly powerful stuff."

The Administration estimates that many children get up to half of their daily calories at school, a major problem when one in three children is overweight or obese. The Challenge, a cornerstone of the Let's Move! campaign, is a program run by USDA that rewards schools participating in the National School Lunch Program for voluntarily adopting healthy USDA standards for foods served in cafeterias, and for providing students with nutrition education and opportunities for physical activity. Prizes are cash grants and plaques, at four levels of achievement: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Gold with Distinction.

"In our movement to end the epidemic of childhood obesity in America, all of you -- our nation’s educators -- you are the unsung heroes," Mrs. Obama said. "I get a lot of accolades and everybody is like, 'First Lady, you're doing a great job.' But you all are doing the real work on the ground."

USDA has had the Challenge in place since 2004, but until Mrs. Obama threw down the gauntlet to double the number a year ago, participation had flatlined. Transforming school nutrition environments is hard work.

Paula Warner (l) Child Nutrition Supervisor for the Iberville Parish School District in Louisiana, is one of the unsung heroes. She was at the White House because four of her eight schools won the Gold Award with Distinction. Warner took on elementary school kids first, but getting them to eat their vegetables was initially a tough road, she said.

“So we put the broccoli in a casserole; we served it with low fat cheese and low fat cream sauce and they eat it," Warner said. Still, kids are ready for change, she added, which is a tenet of Mrs. Obama's campaign.

“They are less indoctrinated and it’s easier to influence their eating habits,” said Warner.

The district now substitutes Romaine lettuce for Iceberg lettuce: It's more colorful and it has more nutrients, Warner said. The kids no longer notice that they're eating brown rice instead of white rice. And though hot dogs are still on the menu, they have been shorn of some fat and salt.

“The cost of doing all this was negligible,” Warner said. “Besides, when you consider health care costs it’s worth it.”

That's Mrs. Obama's point, too. It doesn't cost a lot to ensure that kids are being raised in an environment that's as healthy as possible. And it can happen no matter what kind of school kids attend.

"You’ve shown us that there is no one way to win this award," Mrs. Obama said. "You come from urban, suburban, rural communities. You come from schools that are big and small...There is no one-size-fits-all solution here."

The First Lady ticked off the achievements of the Let's Move! campaign to date: 3,000 citizen chefs enrolled in the Chefs Move to Schools initiative, which marries professional chefs to public schools; 800 salad bars awarded through the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools project; community and school gardens being planted all over the US; running and fitness clubs at schools; schools sending out monthly nutrition newsletters.

"I've been out there visiting you, and it is real. You all are willing to do whatever it takes to help our kids," Mrs. Obama said. That's why the White House "rolled out the red carpet" for the party, she said. The First Lady urged the school officials to share information and get to know each other better, and to bring along schools in their home districts that might be struggling and need assistance.

"Hopefully, today is the beginning of many, many excellent relationships that will continue to build," Mrs. Obama said. "So get to know each other. Because this [the Challenge] is a competition that every school in America can win."

There are plenty of schools left that can meet the Challenge: USDA says that nearly 95,000 schools are involved in the National School Lunch Program, which feeds 32 million kids. The National School Breakfast Program feeds about 11 million kids.

A huge apple, made of hundreds of (faux) apples recycled from Thursday's State Dinner decorations, stood in the center of the South Lawn. Guests were encouraged to put notes on top of it, with creative ideas for boosting the health environment at schools. They gathered around, adding their tips, and posing for photos. The Washington Monument loomed in the background. (Above: The "Idea Apple")

Let's Move! team meets with guests...
It was a very busy party: Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass worked the crowd, as did Let's Move! Executive Director Dr. Judy Palfrey. At a prep table, Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses and Assistant Pastry Chef Susie Morrison demonstrated how to make Healthy Fruit and Oat Snack Bars (the recipe is here).

Members of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition mingled with the school pros, including co-chair and Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Dominique Dawes and Cornell McClellan, the President and Mrs. Obama's personal trainer. They spoke to guests about the PALA Challenge. The guests were given tours of the Kitchen Garden, still cordoned off from this weekend's Fall Garden Tours. (Above: Kass and Dawes speak with visitors)

Guests were also treated to the rollicking musical stylings of two military bands: The Marines' Own Free Country, and the Navy's Country Current. Huge baskets of apples and other healthy treats were on offer, under white tents with White House butlers providing service.

"I'm so proud of you all, so excited. Just keep doing what you're doing, and we'll be right there with you every step of the way," Mrs. Obama said as she finished her remarks.

The First Lady shook hands, gave hugs, and posed for photos with the guests before going back inside the residence. The band continued to play after she left, and the guests continued to mingle. (Above: Marines' Own Free Country plays)

*Click here for a full transcript and video of the First Lady's remarks.

*Click here to read more about the HealthierUS Schools Challenge and recent developments in the federal nutrition program.

*Photos by Obama Foodorama; with additional reporting by Marian Burros.

New Videos: Michelle Obama Answers Questions About The Let's Move! Campaign

First Lady takes to social media to boost participation in her childhood obesity initiative...
UPDATE, Oct. 17: More videos, below
Following yesterday's 15-second video greeting for Twitter followers from First Lady Obama, the White House today released a video in which Mrs. Obama explains how to get involved with the Let's Move! campaign. It's the first in a series.

"First Lady Michelle Obama sat down to answer questions from the Let's Move! online audience," notes the description that accompanies the video. It's the third video in a series created to utilize Twitter and Facebook to get the message out about the childhood obesity initiative.

Onscreen, Mrs. Obama talks about her Kitchen Garden, Let's Move Faith and Communities, the PALA Challenge, and other initiatives that citizens can participate in. Take action locally, Mrs. Obama says. Plant a garden--even if it's a container garden, or a rooftop garden.

"I encourage you to think about what's happening locally in your community," Mrs. Obama says. "Because one size doesn't fit all."



On Oct. 4, the White House announced that Twitter and Facebook followers could query Mrs. Obama about the Let's Move! campaign, using the hashtag #AskMichelle. Mrs. Obama welcomed 17 @LetsMove Twitter followers o the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup, which took place on Oct. 5, during the 2011 Fall Harvest of her Kitchen Garden. The White House released a 24-second video featuring Mrs. Obama giving her fans a shout-out at the start of the Harvest event.

UPDATE, Oct. 17: White House releases  More Let's Move! videos:

In the first new video, Mrs. Obama discusses her workout routine and the music she listens to to get moving: Beyonce is a favorite, she says. Beyonce has offered huge support to the Let's Move! campaign.



"You may not be as fanatical about working out as me and the President, but you can work out a few days a week," Mrs. Obama says.

In another new video, Mrs. Obama discusses how to stay active in cold climates.

Michelle Obama Announces Let's Move! Milestone At Nickelodeon's 2011 Worldwide Day of Play

First Lady joins superstar athletes, teen TV stars at DC event for 50,000 kids and families; unveils new version of PALA Challenge...
First Lady Michelle Obama joined more than 50,000 kids and their families on Saturday as they romped through sports activities on the neon-flag-bedazzled Ellipse for Nickelodeon's annual Worldwide Day of Play, held for the first time this year right outside the gates of the White House. Joined by Olympians and superstar hoopsters including LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, as well as Nick teen TV stars, including Victoria Justice of Victorious and the boys from the band Big Time Rush, Mrs. Obama, clad in sports gear, was on hand to throw the symbolic switch that sent Nickelodeon channels dark for three hours, to encourage kids to get outside and get active. (Above: The First Lady with James, slime-covered participants, and Justice, far right)

The event celebrated the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award challenge (PALA), and the First Lady announced that she'd hit a major milestone for her Let's Move! campaign with that effort. She also unveiled a big change for the PALA program. After, she cheered on kids who were madly dashing through an obstacle course; the Ellipse was filled with activity centers, sports courts, and booths. It was Nickelodeon's biggest version of the event in its eight-year history.

Let's Move! milestone...
In the Fall of 2010, Mrs. Obama unveiled the Million PALA Challenge, a Let's Move! campaign to get 1 million citizens to complete the PALA Challenge in a year; it requires a six-week commitment to work out five times a week. Today, Mrs. Obama revealed that more than 1.7 million Americans heeded her call and earned their PALA awards, far above expectations. (Above: Mrs. Obama congratulates kids on the obstacle course)

“I’m so proud of all the kids and families who rose to the challenge and got active this year,” Mrs. Obama said. “The Million PALA Challenge helped shine a spotlight on the childhood obesity epidemic and I know we can all keep up the momentum and keep moving to help our kids lead healthy, active lives.”

The new, improved PALA challenge...
The First Lady today announced the launch of PALA+, a new version of the PALA challenge that includes a nutrition element to go along with the physical activity requirements. PALA + incorporates elements of the MyPlate campaign, which Ms. Obama unveiled in June. According to the White House, PALA+ participants "must choose one nutrition goal per week from eight healthy eating options, and build upon each over the six-week period. By the end of the program, participants will have learned how to incorporate six healthy eating habits into their everyday lives."

Mrs. Obama earned her own PALA certificate last Fall with the help of her personal trainer, Cornell McClellan; read here about how she did it.

Nickelodeon is telecasting the proceedings on Saturday night, which includes performances from Big Time Rush and the Fresh Beat Band. The guys from Big Time Rush--James Maslow, Kendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson and Carlos Pena--also visited the First Lady at the White House on Saturday morning to tape a video message for the event. They played ping pong in the Diplomatic Reception Room. (Above: Mrs. Obama with the band)

The event got notice from federal lawmakers, too. On Friday, the Senate passed H.Res 410, officially designating Saturday as the Worldwide Day of Play. It was introduced by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). The U.S. House of Representatives also introduced a resolution sponsored by Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH) and co-sponsored by Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI). Urging kids to play is apparently one of the few things that can get bipartisan support in Congress.

Day of Play is big on Twitter...
Though Nick's TV channels were dark for three hours, turning off tech didn't include Twitter. @NickelodeonTV, Team Lebron, Dwyane Wade, @TeamCarmelo07, @VictoriaJustice, @DaniellaMonet, @Fitnessgov and @LetsMove, the guys from Big Time Rush, among many others, were all happily tweeting from the event. (Above: Dwyane Wade, center, with Nick stars from l Ashley Argota, Kendall Schmidt, Dillion Lane and Ariana Grande)

"Happy Worldwide Day of Play rushers! Are we really headed to the White House soon?! Crazy!" was one of the tweets from @BigTimeRush.

"Hanging out in Washington D.C. w/ everyone for #WWDOP ! Guess who I just had the honor of meeting?!" Victoria Justice tweeted (sic) to her million-plus followers.

"No Elmo...But yes! Mrs. Michelle Obama. She's amazing," Justice wrote in a follow-up tweet to a fan query.

"Had the best time hanging with @carmeloanthony @DwyaneWade and my two amazing coaches @CP3 & @KingJames!!! #WorldwideDayofPlay :)" tweeted Daniella Monet, one of the stars of Victorious.

Kids presented with PALA certificates...
Kids representing community and faith-based organizations, sports leagues and health groups that helped promote the Million PALA Challenge received their achievement certificates on the event's main stage on the Ellipse, presented by members of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. (Above: From l, Wade, James and Paul take a break with participants)

According to the White House, the following organizations each helped more than 100,000 people get active and achieve PALA through their programs over the past year.

General Mills Foundation
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
National Basketball Association (NBA)/Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) through NBA/WNBA Fit
National Football League (NFL) PLAY 60 Challenge & Fuel Up to Play 60
Nickelodeon
Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) and The First Tee
Sharecare.com
United States Tennis Association (USTA)

From Nickelodeon, the full list of stars at the event:
Superstar athletes participating in the day were LeBron James (Miami Heat); Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks); Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); Olympic gold medalist and professional soccer star, Abby Wambach (magicJack); and NFL veteran, Damien Woody. Joining them were the Nickelodeon stars of iCarly (Jennette McCurdy, Nathan Kress, Noah Munck and Jerry Trainor); Victorious (Victoria Justice, Daniella Monet, Elizabeth Gillies, Ariana Grande, Avan Jogia, Leon Thomas III and Matt Bennett); Big Time Rush; Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP); the Fresh Beat Band; Supah Ninjas (Ryan Potter, Gracie Dzienny and Carlos Knight), Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures (Taylor Gray, Dillon Lane and Ashley Argota); the forthcoming live-action series, How to Rock (Cymphonique Miller and Max Schneider); and SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. (Above: Big Time Rush with Dwyane Wade, his kids, and friends)

*Related: Mrs. Obama's video promo for the event is here. More information on PALA is at www.presidentschallenge.org. Let's Move! is at Letsmove.gov.

*Getty photos, except for econd photo of First Lady; that's by Chuck Kennedy/White House