1. Student-developed. Students using the program will be involved not only in presenting the fruit and vegetable promotion program, but also in developing the program to be presented. This student-centered approach not only increases acceptance of the program by the students at the school, it also allows the program to be tailored to specific needs of the students at the school. Student energy and effort is mobilized to produce this program, thereby greatly reducing the time commitment of teachers and staff to implement the program.
2. Marketing-based. Begun as a partnership between the National Cancer Institute and the Produce for Better Health Foundation in 1991, 5 A Day is one of the most successful social marketing campaigns. This marketing approach also has the added benefit of illustrating various marketing concepts and strategies as the students develop and implement their fruit and vegetable promotion campaign.
3. Web-based resources. The internet site, www.TeensLeadWayto5aDay.com, provides all of the necessary resources and materials to design, develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive fruit and vegetable promotion program at your school. The site provides original content and links to help your students research all of the effective components of a school-based social marketing program. The site also provides a place for students to share their work.
4. Comprehensive. The program is designed to provide a fully-functional social marketing program designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption using all of the resources available to the students. The program is consistent with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for effective school-based nutrition education programs as well as the current scientific literature on adolescent fruit and vegetable consumption.

The Leading the Way to 5 A Day plan includes two core modules (Marketing Research, Consumer Marketing) and two supplemental modules (Marketing Environment,Community Outreach). This module approach with two to three lessons in each module provides the high school marketing teacher with the flexibility to integrate the lessons and projects into the existing curriculum. Market research, including research conducted by the students, is an integral part of the program and not only guides the marketing campaign but also is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. With the Leading the Way to 5 A Day program, a high school marketing class will be able to produce a scientifically-based, comprehensive program to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among the students at their school.