A California program trains Latino young men to become emergency medial technicians (EMTs), creating a path for success in areas where gangs and shoot-outs are all-too common, KALW reports. The five-month stipend program, EMS Corps, is part of the Alameda County Public Health Department. EMS Corps participants, who are ages 18-26 and mostly Latino or another minority, are be trained and educated to become EMTs. EMTs work with paramedics to provide medical care in the field during an emergency. They go through daily classes, tutoring, physical fitness, and professional and career development workshops. They also get life coaching and mentoring. “It takes them on a journey of discovery of who they are—what their strengths are and what they value most in this life,” life ...
New reports on healthy foods in school meals show that there still remains issues for underserved children of color. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that many children consume most of their daily calories- a third to a half- at school, making school one of the most important food environments that impact a child's future health. A recent report from the CDC looking at schools across the U.S. from 2006-07 to 2013-14, shows that more schools in the West have the availability of salad bars in their schools than all other regions and most schools serving socio-economically disadvantaged students were less likely to have salad bars. Also revealed in the report, were that many majority-Latino schools were less likely to offer fresh fruit in school meals. Latino ...
A recent article reports that Santiago, Chile is working to combat obesity by providing consumers with warning labels on unhealthy foods. Chile deals with high obesity and diabetes rates. In 2014 an article reported Chile to be the fattest nation in the world, with 37% of boys overweight or obese and girls at 32%. The legislation passed back in 2012, will now be implemented with restrictions on advertising unhealthy foods to kids and also will indicate caloric content with black octagons and warnings showing high fat, sugar, sodium or caloric content. Latino kids in the U.S. also deal with higher diet-related diseases like diabetes and obesity. Studies show that incorporating guidelines in schools that restrict access to unhealthy foods and beverages positively impact ...
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) and the U.S. Air Force has partnered to bring Kids LiveWell meals to kids and families as part of the Air Force FitFamilies initiative. The Air Force FitFamilies initiative is a web-based goal incentive program for families, encouraging families to have active goals, resources, and recipes to increase healthy choices. The Kids LiveWell is the NRA's program created in partnership with Healthy Dining in 2011, which limits sugar, fats, and sodium and increases more healthy options for kids including fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat diary. Healthy Dining website also offers families workout videos, nutrition tips, and quick and healthy recipes along with tips from nutritionists on how to choose healthier options when ...
Woodburn High School is an institution that faces unique challenges. Located in Woodburn, Ore. (56.05% Latino population), just south of Portland, the school’s administrators have gone to great lengths for a singular mission: every child must graduate. “Woodburn is pretty unique in the state of Oregon,” said Mario Garza, the college and career counselor at Woodburn High. “Our population is about 80% to 85% Hispanic—the vast majority being Mexican immigrants or second and third generation Mexican Americans.” The Woodburn School District has gone to great lengths to support these students. Beginning in kindergarten, these students receive a full bilingual education. They have broken the campus down into four smaller “schools” to ensure everyone is receiving the ...
Currently at Bozeman High School in Bozeman, Montana, students are still able to reach for their favorite soda or sports drink at lunch. According to a local news article, earlier this year, the high school was selling 2,000 bottles of Gatorade a month. Now, healthier beverages and school food recommendations from the schools' 15-member Food Service and K-12 Nutrition Education commission will be heard on June 12th, 2016. Soda's and sugary beverages high in sugar and have been shown in studies to be linked to higher risks of tooth decay, diabetes and heart disease. The commission committee hopes to change the beverage options at lunch, to allow healthier carbonated waters and juices, but take out the soda and sports drink options from the high school's cafeteria and vending ...
Mom and registered dietician in Columbus, Ohio, Sally Kuzemchak, calls herself a "soccer mom on a mission" after she found out that her kids were eating junk food and sugary beverages at all their sports and after school events. Sally saw the need to have her two kids fuel up on more than the usual sports drinks, juice boxed drinks and chips that are offered to kids. She wanted to create a grassroots effort to stop unhealthy snacking patterns for the sake of her and other kid's health. So Sally created a healthier snack movement, by asking other moms to take a stand towards healthier snacking at local school, church, and sports team events by becoming, "Snacktivists". Snacktivists moms are empowered to tell their kids coaches, and camp directors about their concerns with snacks ...
Southern California schools are about to get help and funding from an unexpected source, a local grocery store. According to a recent article, the ALDI grocery store has recently partnered with Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) to invest in 15 Southern California area schools to improve overall wellness environments through grants and technical assistance for the 2015 to 2016 school year. The investment from ALDI of $175,000 will go towards helping the schools expand and implement school wellness programs like AFHK's Game On program, and engage community members, parents and ALDI employees to promote wellness at school and home environments. In 2011, the company helped schools through partnering with AFHK in Chicago and hopes to continue to expand and benefit the more than 11,000 ...
Advocate and parent Theresa Turco wants healthier meals for her student's district. Speaking out and giving ideas, while passing out a menu, Turco explained in a recent news article that meals were too focused on unhealthy items like pizza, mozzarella sticks, and nachos. Turco offered up suggestions at a Board of Education meeting on May 224th, 2016, asking about doing surveys in English and Spanish to help figure out what parents and students would like to see on the school's menu. She also suggested affordable ways to incorporate more fresh foods into the school's food environment through taste-tests, salad and smoothie bars, and working with programs like USDA's Farm to School and Chef to School for resources and training. Turco knows that healthy eating is better for ...
