Physical activity is linked with academic achievement and improved mental and physical health. Sadly, many Latino majority schools do not provide recommended time for recess or quality PE, thus kids fall behind and are at higher risk for chronic disease. On April 20th, 2017, the Governor of Washington (12.4% Latino) signed a new bill (HB 1235) which assesses PE practices in public schools. Effective July, 23, 2017, the bill requires all schools to conduct an annual review of their PE programs, to include: number of students completing PE per year
number of minutes per week of PE
number of students granted waivers from PE requirements
instructors with valid health and fitness endorsements The results of the review will be shared with the school district's ...
There is an undeniable link between education and health. In fact, educational attainment is one of the key social determinants of health. Lack of access and opportunity are often some of the barriers that keep many Latinos from furthering their education beyond high school. However, the numbers from several studies have pointed to the fact that Latinos are making some headway into earning more degrees from two- and four-year universities. One study from Excelencia in Education correlates the rise in Latino enrollment with the growing number of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in the U.S. HSIs are defined by federal law as “accredited and degree-granting public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education” that have 25% or more total undergraduate Hispanic ...
Are you interested in changing people's health outcomes through programs, policy changes, and infrastructure improvements? Check out the inaugural Active Living Summit hosted by Movement Makers in Richmond, VA, May 17-19, 2017. We will be there to learn and present! Hear stories about policies changed, advocacy wins, innovative school initiatives, and more. Discover how to build play in urban environments on a playability walk. Learn more about setting expectations with the funding community and creating better tools online to support physical activity in your city. Key note speakers include: Gabe Klein, Co-founder of CityFi and former Commissioner of Chicago and Washington D.C. Departments of Transportation.
Dominique Dawes, Olympic Gold Medalist, and former Co-chair ...
Water Wellness Alert!!! Did you know that between 50-75% of your body is made of water? Drinking enough water to keep your body hydrated is an important part of staying healthy for kids and adults. One of the simplest ways that we can make sure that kids are drinking adequate water (and skipping the sugar-sweetened beverages!) is to include access to drinking water in school wellness policies. Including water in your policy helps to keep it top of mind for school staff and ensures that water won’t become less of a priority if the administration changes. Now is a great time for schools to update their wellness policies. All schools participating in federal nutrition programs must update their policies to comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s final rule by June 30, ...
Many factors influence early childhood development, school readiness, and health. For example, Latino parents are less likely to engage their children in preliteracy activities or read books to them leading to cognitive and oral communication gaps in Latino children. Culturally relevant parent counseling, education and support can play a huge role in childhood literacy and health, because kids who do better in school become healthier adults. Three groups in Walla Walla, Washington (21.6% Latino) worked together to create a 10-week series of FREE parenting master classes, Abriendo Puertas-Spanish for Opening Doors-that use a Latino cultural perspective and are taught in Spanish. The three groups are, Walla Walla Valley Early Learning Coalition, the Walla Walla Community College ...
Barbara Berger was more than concerned—she was downright worried about the growing weight and health of her students. The school dietitian in Las Cruces, NM (67.1% Latino population), found it hard to promote healthy eating and physical activity to her teenaged students. That was, until she let students do it themselves in a way that would engage students in a fun, creative story-telling experience. Through the use of creative films and videos, Berger found that the students were not only able to help solve real-world health problems, they had fun and gained valuable life-skills while doing it.
Opening Credits: A Video Idea to Help Middle-Schoolers
Barbara Berger has been involved with health and nutrition education since 2012 for the Las Cruces Public School ...
The #WellnessWins campaign celebrates the importance of strong wellness policies and the great strides districts are already making nationwide! The #WellnessWins campaign celebrates district wellness success and inspires everyone to create healthier school environments, grounded in strong wellness policies. Beginning on April 17, school leaders, community members, and parents can visit WellnessWins.org to download resources, read success stories, and learn how they can support and advance school wellness policies. Support is critical to helping highlight the importance of strong wellness policies and to the campaign’s success! Want to learn how to support #WellnessWins on Social Media? Join the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (@HealthierGen), the Academy of ...
Educational attainment is one of the key determinants of health. While Latinos have made great strides in attaining greater education – the Latino high school dropout figures are at all-time lows and more are enrolling in two- and four-year universities – there is still a long way to go before they are achieving secondary degrees at the level of whites. In the state of New York (18.4% Latino population) the dream of attending college just got a lot easier for many. Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced a plan for tuition-free college in January and state lawmakers approved the plan mid-April. For residents who earn up to a specific “income cap,” tuition will be free. The income figure will be determined over the next three years. Starting this fall, however, students whose ...
When we are talking about academic performance, there is no right or wrong way to "workout." Any physical activity to get you moving and to get your blood pumping is beneficial and can boost your mood and help you reset and focus. Confederation Park Community School in Saskatoon Canada opens their gym all day and allows students to leave class at any time to burn off some energy. The goal is to empower kids to explore different kinds of physical activity when they feel like they can't concentrate in class. They can walk or run, do weights, play on gymnastics rings, flip big tires over, throw weighted balls, do yoga, dance, and many more activities. "Brain breaks" are one effective method to get kids moving in the classroom, but, as parents and teachers know, kids come to ...
