According to the CDC, schools play a critical role in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behaviors.
Due to limited time to address education standards in all subjects, teachers often have to find creative methods to weave in "extra" lessons with their existing grade level curriculum. Unfortunately, health education is one of these subjects that may be considered "extra". All too many teachers already find themselves stretched as they attempt to deliver multiple demanding academic lessons. Unfortunately, there is simply not enough time in a school day to cover health lessons at the basic grade level standard each year. Thus, health education lessons are simply not being taught. Instead, many teachers hire Healthy Starts to deliver health education lessons to elementary students. There is no better environment for health education to be taught than at school See the statistics below:
In middle school, some basic health education lessons may be covered in seventh or eighth grade science. High schools usually offer one semester of health class in ninth or tenth grade. Most school district personnel, will readily agree that there is simply not enough time to address even the minimum health standards required by states or counties. With increasing mental health issues exponentially affecting youth ages 15-24, there is no greater need for comprehensive health education lessons that provide health knowledge as well as tools to maintain a healthy growing mind and body. School is the best place for this to be done. Unfortunately, it is simply not being done due to pressures to deliver various other curriculum demands. Healthy Starts health educators will happily contract with any teacher, PTSA, school, or district to teach essential health information that is not otherwise being taught regularly. Healthy Starts health educators can fill this void in health education with so much passion and expertise.
Many classrooms or schools book Healthy Starts as a class field trip visit or a remote, or online visit. Contact us today!!
According to the CDC, the academic success of America’s youth is strongly linked with their health, and is one way to predict adult health outcomes.