|
Healthy Kids: Creating Safe Communities
and Schools
National Health Education Week 2006
Healthy Kids: Creating Safe Communities and Schools
Health and safety are important topics for all youth in the United
States. Violence prevention, environmental safety, personal safety,
responsible decision making, respect for others, effective communication
and refusal skills are just some of the important issues teachers
and parents face when trying to keep children healthy and safe.
Researchers have found that when children start learning about
healthy choices at an early age, the children are more receptive
to the ideas and will be more likely to integrate them into their
daily lives. The earlier and more profound the educational intervention,
the greater potential for its effectiveness. In addition, educators,
administrators, parents, and children must work together to effectively
promote community and school safety.
Health in Children
Risky behaviors that impact the safety of youth are becoming
more and more evident and are a clear reflection of the type of
health promotion that needs to occur in early childhood before
these negative behaviors become ingrained as habits. According
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2005 Youth
Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS) results, the facts are as follows:
-10% of high school students rarely or never wore a seat belt
-28% rode with a drinking driver during the past month
-36% were in a physical fight during the past year
-18% carried a weapon during the past month
-8% attempted suicide during the past year
Importantly, these risky behaviors contribute to the main causes
of death in youth aged 10-24. Additionally, behaviors and attitudes
about health that are initiated during childhood are responsible
for most of the leading causes of death, illness, and disability
in the United States today, according to Dr. Lloyd Kolbe, former
director of the Division of Adolescent School Health at the CDC.
Clearly, it is important to start early and sustain health education
efforts throughout a child's school experience that focus on healthy
choices. In a study conducted by Gary D. Nelson and Charlotte
M. Hendricks, it was stated that health promotion and disease
prevention efforts, which includes making healthy choices, should
appropriately include participation by parents as well as educators
in public and private preschool, elementary, and secondary schools.
One way to advocate for healthy choices is to work together to
help children make healthy choices a life-long habit. The National
Center for Health Education (NCHE) has announced that the theme
for National Health Education Week (NHEW) 2006 will be Healthy
Kids: Creating Safe Communities and Schools. NHEW 2006 will
be celebrated October 16-20, 2006.
NHEW 2006
NCHE has developed a variety of materials for schools, parents,
public health professionals, and organizations to promote safety
in communities and schools nationwide. NHEW 2006 materials include
classroom lesson plans for grades pre-K (new to NHEW!), K-2, 3-5,
and 6-8 and parent/teacher resources. NHEW 2006 lesson plans are
adapted from NCHE's Growing Healthy,
Starting Healthy©, and Mind
It curricula. NHEW 2006 curriculum materials are based on
The National Health Education Standards and the National Science
Content Standards.
To highlight local NHEW 2006 celebrations, NCHE will be sponsoring
a contest featuring successful school and community efforts. A
copy of the NHEW 2006 contest application is posted below.
We are inviting interested individuals, communities, and organizations
to promote and participate in this national initiative to help
communities and schools promote safety. If you or your organization
would like to donate materials, such as pamphlets, posters, or
brochures, to support NHEW 2006, please contact Jeanne Chun, Associate
Program Director, at nche@nche.org. You
may also make a tax-deductible donation to NCHE by clicking here.
All NHEW 2006 materials are posted electronically on the NCHE
website and are free to download. You may request hard copy materials
for a small cost to cover postage. If you would like to receive
a hard copy or have any questions, please contact Jeanne Chun,
Associate Program Director, at nche@nche.org.
National Health Education Week 2006
Healthy Kids: Creating Safe Communities and Schools
Curriculum and Materials:
NHEW 2006 lesson plans are adapted from NCHE's Growing
Healthy, Starting Healthy©, and
Mind It curricula. For more information
about NCHE's comphrehensive health education programs, click each
appropriate link.
NHEW 2006 Flyer
Pre-K Lesson Plan
Grades K-2 Lesson Plan
Grades 3-5 Lesson Plan
Grades 6-8 Lesson Plan
Parent-Teacher Resources
NHEW 2006 Contest Application
NHEW 2006 Evaluation Form
|
