Being poor often contributes to poor health. So with 1 in 4 Kentucky children living below the poverty line, it’s no surprise that obesity is a major health issue for some of our youngest citizens. This program spotlights some creative ways Kentuckians have found to educate students—not to mention their parents and school staff members—on good health habits:
Health Promotion Schools of Excellence in Jefferson County is a school-based program designed to promote and maintain healthy lifestyles and discourage behaviors that create health risks. It focuses particularly on cardiovascular health, cancer control, injury prevention, and physical fitness.
Fayette County’s Healthy Kids Centers bring free access to medical, mental health, disease prevention, and oral health services to students in high-poverty schools. The centers take a team approach to solving health problems. A Student Assistance Team in each school evaluates students with learning, behaviorial, or attention problems.
The Fayette County Schools also offer the Literacy, Eating and Activity for Preschoolers Health Program (LEAP). The project uses children’s storybooks to teach students about staying healthy, being physically active, and eating more fruits and vegetables.
To carry good health practices through summer vacation, Lexington’s VERB Summer Scorecard program provides incentives to “tweens”—9- to 13-year-olds—to increase their levels of physical activity. Tweens are offered free or discounted admission to a variety of locations, such as public pools and bowling alleys, where they can get some exercise.