Project Healthy Schools provides a fun and interactive way to educate sixth-graders on the importance of adopting healthier lifestyles. Students participate in at least ten hands-on educational activities related to the five simple PHS goals:
* Eat more fruits and vegetables
* Make better beverage choices
* Be active
* Eat less fast and fatty food
* Spend less time in front of a screen
Throughout the school year, Project Healthy Schools’ health educators partner with the school’s food services staff, the parent-teacher organization, teachers and school administrators to identify ways to create a healthier school environment. This may include changes in cafeteria food choices, vending machines and school stores, as well as development or enhancement of a school wellness policy.
At the beginning and end of the program, students complete a health behavior questionnaire. With parental consent, they also participate in a voluntary wellness screening that includes height, weight, blood pressure, a fitness step test, a full lipid panel and a random glucose test.
Results from the post-program questionnaire and wellness screening consistently show that participants adopt healthier behaviors and make significant improvements in health risk factors such as: total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride levels, blood sugar, and measures of fitness.
