The Learning Well Resources Team attended and presented at the WES-DEL Health Fair on October 25th.  The Health Fair was open to all the WES-DEL Schools.  There were many community members in attendance as well.  Students from the Ball State University Nursing, Indiana State Police, and Delaware County Police participated in this event. Students were able to visit each booth and discuss many different health related topics.  The Learning Well Resources Team presented GERMS!  The team had handouts on MRSA, Germs, How to Fight Bacteria, and Cross Word and Search Word Puzzles. If you would like information about health related topics for your school contact the LWRT at lwrt@bsu.edu.

The LWRT attended the Sutton Elementary Family Safety Night!  There were many students and parents present.  The LWRT presented GERMS! How to Protect Yourself?, Bicycling is Fun Again!, My Pyramid, and Eating Healthy on the Run!.  Other community members were there as well.  The Parent Teacher Association had fun games, handouts, and giveaways.  Overall, it was a really great turnout.  If you would like the LWRT to present at your Family Safety Night contact lwrt@bsu.edu.

Mr. Reynolds was selected at random by the Learning Well Resources Team for the School Naming Initiative to win $100.  Every student that entered a name for the School Naming Initiative wrote their teacher's name on their ballot.  Mr. Reynolds' name was selected at random from choosing a ballot. The Learning Well Resources Team presented a check to Mr. Reynolds on May 23, 2007.  Mr. Reynolds graciously donated the check to Wilson Middle School programming.  This is Mr. Reynolds' last year and he will definitely leave an impact on his students and Wilson Middle School!

Good Luck Mr. Reynolds!

Since 1980, the percentage of overweight children ages 6 to 11 has doubled, and the percentage of overweight adolescents ages 12 to 19 has tripled. Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term serious health impacts.

What do you think about your school?

• Does your school have a wellness policy?
• Does your school have and support wellness programs for teachers, staff, and students?
• Does your school offer healthy foods and enough physical activities?
• Does your school keep close communication between school and parents?
  

If you answered 'yes' to above all the questions, congratulations!
However, you still need to answer one more question.

• Are you satisfied with your school's wellness programs?
  

It is important to have great wellness programs, supply healthy foods, and keep close relationships with parents according to your wellness policy. But it is equally important to maintain them effectively which will result in healthy students and teachers.

Schools play a key roll:

• More than 95% of young people are enrolled in schools.
• Students have the opportunity to eat a large portion of their daily food intake and to be physically active at school.
• Schools are an ideal setting for teaching young people how to adopt and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.
• Research has shown that well-designed, well-implemented school programs can effectively promote physical activity and healthy eating.
• Emerging research documents the connections between physical activity, good nutrition, physical education and nutrition programs, and academic performance.
  

Likewise, the school is a good platform for wellness. The Learning Well Resource Team (LWRT) will make every effort to help schools to improve physical fitness among our school-aged children and their teachers and reduce the percentage of overweight students. Resources are targeted at teachers and all K-12 students in Delaware County emphasizing a balance of suitable physical activity with counseling in proper nutrition and diet to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Shaping America's Youth objective is to provide the latest and most comprehensive information on programs and community efforts across the United States directed at increasing physical activity and improving nutrition in our nation's youth.  In addition, this site offers a single location for the latest news, meetings and events, funding opportunities, publications, SAY Town Meetings and other resources related to childhood obesity.

Visit: http://www.shapingamericasyouth.org/Default.aspx