One hundred and eighty four pupils at McDowell Elementary School are now eating a good free breakfast in their classrooms each morning, thanks to a Building Healthy Communities partnership grant.
"Research shows that school breakfast is linked with improved healthy, academic performance, attendance and classroom behavior," said Lynne Borg, McDowell principal.
Two elementary schools in the Taylor School District – Holland and McDowell – have been selected to participate in the 2013-14 Building Healthy Communities program in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Michigan Fitness Foundation, the United Diary Industry of Michigan, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.
The program aims to establish healthy lifestyles among school children and create healthy environments. The program educates students through classroom lessons, creates an environment that makes healthy choice the easy choice, encourages students to practice lessons learned, provides opportunities for physical activity during and after school, and improves access to healthy food and beverages for students.
Holland Principal Sue Massucci discussed the program at length during a "Talking Taylor Schools" blog post on Sept. 13. To see that post, click here.
Participating in the program are schools from Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Huron, Lapeer, Genesee, Bay and Lenawee counties. Holland and McDowell are two of 15 schools participating in Wayne County.
Poor nutrition and resulting obesity are problems in today’s America. One in three children in the nation are overweight. The rate of childhood obesity has tripled over the past 30 years.
“The long-term benefits of the Building Healthy Communities program cannot be overstated in term of its potential to improve the overall health of our citizens and into the future,” said Dr. Kim Eagle of the University of Michigan Health System. “(This will) reduce health care costs that will benefit all of us and help generations of Michiganders live healthier, more successful lives.”
The program is a comprehensive, school-wide effort to fight childhood obesity. Since its inception in 2009, over 35,000 students in 83 schools have been reached.
In the Taylor elementary schools, BCBS of Michigan, WSU, the fitness foundation and the dairy industry will be working together. The program will target nine areas with school-based education and environmental initiatives:
- Principal involvement
- Healthy breakfasts
- Classroom education
- Physical education
- Active recess
- Student leadership through Fuel Up to Play 60
- Events for families
- Media center education
- Afterschool Healthy Kids Club
For more information on the program, click here.
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