Project Ideas

Service-Learning

Help by partnering with you local Health Department's nutrition or health community outreach programs.

School/Staff Wellness

Teach staff and parents about health and nutrition- (ex. include scientifically-based articles on nutrition in PTA newsletter)

Read the Label Campaign

Teach essentials of nutrition labels in curriculum and school campaigns.

Media Blast

Use morning announcements, school newsletters and websites to provide weekly fitness, nutrition and health tips.

In Control Campaign

Inspire indiviuals to make healthy choices by building confidence that indiviudals are in control of many of their lifestyle decisions.

Health education in curriculum

Integrate health education in the classroom and model practices.

Eat This, Not That Campaign

Create awareness with student-created posters on best foods.

Community Health Campaign

Expand health education through opportunities at community events.

Best Practices

Employ best practices in health education based on districts identified needs.

Links to more Web Resources

• www.organwiseguys.com/
• www.livestrong.org/school
• www.sne.org/
• www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/he/gardenoverview.asp
• www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest5030-117022-10-health-nutrition-best-practices-education-ppt-powerpoint/

Project Ideas

Healthy Foods Committee

Create a healthy foods committee, appoint leader and coordinate with district or campus SHAC.

Junk Food is History Campaign

Decrease or eliminate processed "junk food" availability including sales at school functions.

Nutrition knowledge assessment

Conduct evaluation of students knowledge of food and nutrition sciences at the beginning and end of school year

Nutritional Foods Audit

Evaluate nutritional services and ensure compliance with the USDA guidelines relating to foods of minimal nutritional value.

Seed to Plate (Tray) Program

Implement the schools garden harvest into cafeteria menu and at other school functions if possible.

Student Health Assessment

Measure students cognitive, behavioral, attitudinal changes related to nutrition and health education (CSHP)

Vegetable and Herb Garden

Involve students in Creating, harvesting and keeping a school vegetable garden or green schoolyard- indoor/ outdoor (helps increase nutrition knowledge and preference for vegetables)

Healthy Foods Campaign

Increase access to healthy foods in school (salad bars, implement healthy menu).

Fruits and veggies- more matters

Increase Fruit & Vegetable Consumption on campus

Adult Foodie School

Teach staff and parents about nutrition and food systems. Provide opportunities to learn through cooking demos showcasing healthy recipes, portion control and healthy menu planning, family health fairs, articles in PTA newsletter.

Community Garden

Team up with Community Garden and use a garden plot (if no facilities exist on campus) to start, harvest and teach from your interactive garden.

Community grocery or farm tours

Conduct Grocery store or farm tours

Drink More Water Campaign

Reduce or eliminate consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Farm to Cafeteria

Implement/ partner with Farm to Cafeteria initiatives that benefit small farmers and provide fresh vegetables and healthy meals for students

Farmers market

Host community farmer's market at or near school grounds and encourage families to visit local farmer's markets. School can have a table at the farmers market. (Farm to School)

Food science in curriculum

Incorporate food science, cafeteria menu planning, and nutrition lessons into health/ science curriculum

Links to more Web Resources

• www.squaremeals.org
• www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthierus/index.html
• www.edibleschoolyard.org/
• fnic.nal.usda.gov/
• www.edibleschoolyard.org/
• www.bcbstx.com/health/achieving_wellness/food_label.html
• www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/health/archive.html
• www.farmtoschool.org/
• www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/

Project Ideas

Walk to School

Encourage walking to school

School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)

Ensure School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) (campus and district level) is in place and involve parents. Maintain contact with regional school health specialist (through CSHP) for support and communication with partners.

Pre-Lunch Recess

Incorporate recess before lunch because studies show it results in less food waste, less rush to finish lunch, and fewer behavioral problems.

Healthy Lifestyles Committee

Appoint a Healthy Lifestyles Chair/committee on PTA-PTO board.

Healthy Lifestyles at School

Implement a Healthy Lifestyles Program at school. Encourage healthy lifestyles at home with a plan that makes healthy choices easy and fun. Acknowledge and reward participation and progress.

Healthy Lifestyles at Home

Encourage healthy lifestyles at home with a plan that makes healthy choices easy and fun. Acknowledge and reward participation and progress.

Family Nature Groups

Encourage community and family walking groups, family nature groups

Develop/Use Hike and Bike Trails

Develop and/or utilize biking and hiking trails on campus and in community and encourage use

Barrier Bust

Identify the barriers and threats to healthy lifestyles in your community. Do a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) and move toward breaking down those barriers.

Campus Improvement Plan

Create and Conduct yearly review of CSHP goals in Campus Improvement Plan by Campus (or SHAC) Advisory Council (resource: Texas Action for Healthy Kids, SB 892)

Candy Free Fundraiser

Substitute healthy fundraisers for traditional approaches

Coordinated School Health (CSHP) Program

Coordinated School Health (CSHP) Program implementation (K-12) (campus or district level)

Links to more Web Resources

• www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2812
• www.saferoutesinfo.org/contacts/TX.cfm
• www.walkingschoolbus.org/
• www.cspinet.org/schoolfundraising.pdf
• www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth/
• www.loveisrespect.org/
• www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/catch/

Project Ideas

Wellness Breaks

Allow for 5 minute activity and wellness breaks in class and at beginning of day, frequently participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity (per CSHP)

Unstructured Play

Offer opportunities for children (K-8) to engage in unstructured, spontaneous play in an outdoor setting. Studies show children move more in these settings. Help reluctant children get started in fun, free play.

Student Health Pledge

Have students set and track short and long-term measurable personal fitness and nutrition goals and pledge healthy lifetime fitness and nutrition habits

Physical education in curriculum

Incorporate Physical education/ physical activity in the curriculum in accordance to TEKS standards at a minimum

Fitnessgram

Improve Fitnessgram Scores

Fitness Leaders

Appoint a fitness leader from faculty, parent group and student body.

Fitness Fidget & Fun campaign

Encourage movement and fitness within daily activities while walking between classes, sitting for long periods, doing chores. Make exercise a part of everyday movement.

Fitness Challenges

Participate in Marathon Kids/ Texas round up (or the many other options under resources)

Family Fitness and Fun Night

Organize a Family Fitness and Fun night

Classroom Challenge

Have each classroom submit a game idea and have a school challenge or keep a jar of game ideas and pull an idea out for impromptu fun. Try party games that require little equipment or household items but challenge muscles and coordination.

Adult Fitness School

Teach staff and parents about fitness- include (scientifically-based) articles on physical activity in PTA newsletter

Wellness Plan

Develop and comply to a school wellness plan

Links to more Web Resources

• http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it/how-to/
• http://www.bcbstx.com/health/achieving_wellness/motivate.html
• http://www.bcbstx.com/health/achieving_wellness/running_101.html
• http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/
• http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it/how-to/