National Health Education Week 2012 kicks off today! This year's celebration looks to promote and establish healthy behaviors among U.S. youth through the theme, "Adolescent Health: Planting Seeds for a Healthier Generation." As part of the awareness week, whole child partner the Society for Public Health Education will be offering free resources to professionals who work with kids in schools and communities on the following themes.
- Monday, October 15—Nutrition and Physical Activity: Action for healthy adolescents (PDF) | Sample proclamation (PDF)
- Tuesday, October 16—Alcohol,Tobacco, and Other Drug Use: Integrating evidence-based strategies for prevention (PDF) | Raising Tobacco-Free Kids: Tip sheet for parents (PDF)
- Wednesday, October 17—Sexual Health: Making the case for comprehensive sex education (PDF)
- Thursday, October 18—Emerging Trends in Adolescent Injury and Violence (PDF)
- Friday, October 19—Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: Embracing diversity and promoting inclusion
Download (PDF) the full tool kit and begin sharing and using the guide to plan your next activities.
In honor of National Health Education Week, I would like to highlight one of our whole child partner organizations whose work is helping to plant seeds for a healthier younger generation. The Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA works to improve outcomes for young people by addressing mental health and psychosocial concerns through school-based interventions. One of the Center's projects is a collection of school improvement themes, with related aids and resources, arranged to follow the school year. October's theme is enhancing student engagement. By integrating a monthly theme into school improvement planning, the Center believes schools engage more stakeholders, increase opportunities for students to succeed, and make schools better places for both students and faculty.
Keep up with the latest school health and youth well-being news and resources through the biweekly Health and Learning News and Updates Newsletter. Read archived issues and subscribe. The e-newsletter is a product of Healthy School Communities, which is a worldwide ASCD effort to promote the integration of health and learning and the benefits of school-community collaboration.