So often schools are focused on test scores and making AYP, but the students at our school are concerned about decisions that will affect them the rest of their lives. Our students are led by a group of health-conscious leaders who promote healthy behaviors on a daily basis. Our students are quick to point out unhealthy habits and look for ways to incorporate moving into our daily lives. Students encourage one another and adults to take the longer route when walking, wash hands often, drink lots of water, and eat fruits and vegetables. The students at UPE are excited about making healthy choices that will benefit them from now on!!!
I have been involved with HMP for the ten years of existence. I am very proud that there is a program in Georgia that is attacking these health issues. The environment a child is living plays such a big part of how changes can be made. HMP addresses these influences and engages parents, school staff and children together. Being a “Baby Boomer” we were encouraged to play outside and spent very little “sofa time”. HMP is making great strides is getting today’s children of Georgia to return to healthier eating and exercise routine as a normal day to day existence. Childhood obesity has become a very serious medical problem nationwide that can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These were once issues that only affected adults yet now we have to deal with them on a child’s level . We are a fatter society than ever existed. We do have a health crisis on our hands and HMP is addressing the affect today’s environment is having on our youth. There is no other program like it in Georgia. It is unmatched and needs to be spread nationwide.
HealthMPowers is a wonderful organization that has survived and flourished despite a continual need for funds to support their mission of helping establishing healthy eating habits and exercise programs for children in the middle and elementary school environment. It has taken real dedication from the staff to make this happen and they continually upgrade their programs to achieve more positive results. It's hard to believe how far this organization has progressed in the past few years.
HealthMPowers’ mission is to promote healthy behaviors and environments by empowering students, school staff, and families to improve health and academic achievement. We saw this in action as the HealthMPowers team brought the 'Body Walk' to Montgomery Elementary School. There was so much excitement surrounding this exhibit, that included stations about different parts of the human body (brain, mouth, heart, etc.), that we were able to recruit over 50 parent volunteers to help set it up, take it down, and teach our children about their bodies and healthy behaviors. It was a wonderful way to incorporate parents into their children's school learning environment, and to also educate and empower them as well. All of the parents loved being involved, and we received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from them, and also from the students and teachers and staff. Our children were able to learn about the power of choice and in a fun way. In addition to the exhibit, we were also provided with materials that we could use in the classroom and at home to review and continue teaching our children about healthy eating, physical activity, and healthy living. We really enjoyed and appreciated the whole Body Walk experience and know that our entire school community benefitted from it. We also look forward to the monthly HealthMPowers’ newsletters, which we send home to families each month. The Kid2Kid Newsletter is a health newsletter written by kids for kids, filled with fun articles about eating healthy, exercising, and being a good role model. We encourage our children to submit material to HealthMPowers for the newsletter and hope to see one of our students in there someday! Thanks so much HealthMPowers! Keep doing what you are doing to help improve the health of our children and families in Georgia!
I was introduced to HealthMPowers through my principal. I was excited to hear there was an organization out there willing to help me in my teaching field in helping students on not just physical fitness but more importantly on nutrition. I see so MANY over-weight elementary students and it scares me what they will look like in ten years. I truly believe the statement that this will be the first generation that will not out live their parents!! The HMP staff are the most passionate excited group I ever worked with. I get such a rush when we have one of our meetings that I just wnat to go back to my school and save the world, LOL!!!! They really are great in providing all the information that I need to promote this healthy way of living lifestyle. They hold NOTHING back. They definitely deserve National Recognition!!! Thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of this awesome organization. Coach, Donna Peavy, Pulaski County Elementary School. Hawkinsville, Ga.
HealthMPowers, formerly Kids' Health, came to our elementary school in 2003 and guided us in the development of our School Health Council whose goal was to improve the mind, body and spirit of our students and staff through healthy nutrition and exercise habits. The work of local community members, school staff, PTA representatives, and couty-level leaders assisted us in the improvement of our school lunch program, the implementation of health risk appraisals for staff and students, before and after-school exercise clubs for students as well as th ehiring of a full time health educator. Over the years our involvement with HealthMPowers positively impacted the culture of our school; this fine organization held a summer leadership camp for our students which resulted in student-lead health programs during the school year.
HealthMPowers is an asset to our students, faculty, and parents. The program is designed to teach nutritional and fitness values to all of the individuals in our students lives. The staff at HealthMPowers is exceptional. They go out of their way to develop resources that are performance standard based for our classroom teachers to use and implement with our students. They have also assisted our school this year with implementing fitness testing with our 5th grade students and tracking their progress. The students love the Organ Wise Guys who are cartoon characters that help teach our students about the organs of the body, their function, and what we should do to help them work effectively. Our students, staff, and parents love the information and how helpful it is for us all to increase our physical well being.
The committment and success of HealthMPowers associates should be recognized. They have completed 10 years with great success with their programming in schools throughout Georgia. Their associates and board members remain committed and actions clearly demonstrate their mission: "HealthMPowers promotes healthy behaviors and environments by empowering students, school staff and families to improve health and academic achievement"
I am the nutrition educator for my school system -Dalton Public Schools. We have completed the first of three years with HealthMPowers. The staff support that HealthMPowers offers to the classroom and other teachers is awesome. The assemblies that are performed at each school are full of great information for the children. The assemblies are high energy and motivational for the students. HealthMPowers is committed to their mission of educating young people regarding their health. I applaude their efforts and look forward to two more years with them as we move forward to year two.
