It’s Never Too Late to Get Back into Health and Fitness
Posted on November 1st, 2011 by helper in Active Lifestyles
Benefits of Schools for Healthy Lifestyles
Schools for healthy lifestyles was first developed in Oklohoma in 1997. This was a program with the primary purpose of maintaining and promoting healthy lifestyles in three (3) major groups including families, school faculty and most especially, children. Schools for healthy lifestyles program were also endorsed by Oklahoma State Department of Education.
As a non-profit organization, schools for healthy lifestyles program depended solely from donations and community partners. The program may not have been possible without the help of donors and other big-time companies which support the promotion of health, among others.
Schools that enter the program undergo an extensive screening to be qualified. First and foremost, the schoold mush be a public elementary school with students from kindergarten up to grades five or six. Prior to the application for the schools for healthy lifestyles program, each school is required to complete a letter of interest that is readily available on its official website. With its mission statement focused mainly on preventive measures through community-based health education in schools, Schools for Healthy Lifestyles Program aims to maintain and at the same time promote healthy lifestyle choices.
There are five (5) key areas assessed on schools for healthy lifestyles program. Each area has its own focus. The five include oral health education, prevention of tobacco use, injury prevention and safety, fitness promotion and physical activity and lastly, nutrition education and awareness.
There are also two (2) sub-programs in the schools for healthy lifestyles. One is adopt-a-doc where a physician could serve a health committee which has already been established at the elementary school. Several schools has already availed of adopt-a-doc, utilizing it as a clinical resource which provides basic health screenings for underpriveleged students. The physician can also function as an educational resource for students, school faculty and even parents. Here are some things a physician can do:
- Arrange classroom presentations showing healthy eating and nutrition along with promoting physical fitness and activity.
- Active participation in co-existing health activities in the school.
- Provide available health resources to the public school
- Provide needed presentations to parents and children to facilitate learning
- Assist in testing for physical fitness
Bear in mind that the school health committee still has the final say to whatever activities that volunteer health professionals would like to implement. Schools for healthy lifestyles allows each public school to be creative and flexible when it comes to implementing the programs needed for them to learn healthy lifestyles. Activities can still vary from one school to another, but still the role of the physician doesn’t change and are more likely to be as an educator, consultant or an adviser.
Adopt-a-dentist on the other hand takes care of oral problems mostly to children in public elementary schools. Dentist have the freedom to arrange emergency dental care for low-income pupils whose parents have no other means of earning. They could also come up with oral health presentations to educate the children. How many times a denist must visit a school would depend on the school’s population.
There are many benefits of participating in schools for healthy lifestyles. For one, you get a $1,000 grant to be used in health promotions. The school also gets advanced training for health and an ongoing technical support and assistance. A health and fitness curricula is also provided that will aid in teaching. Aside from this, the schools receives public recognition, a school banner and a certificate. They also receive health newsletters that can be used for teaching not only students but also their parents. So check out schools for healthy lifestyles and might just get interested.
Schools for Healthy Lifestyles
Schools for a healthy lifestyle are a great idea, there should be more of them, we need to be educated, because a lot of people don’t know about certain ways that are easy and painless to stay active and eat healthy.
Information is power, and that is one hundred percent true when it comes to trying to live a healthier lifestyle.