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By Tom Chorneau
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Fifth and sixth graders from largely Hispanic schools in San Luis Obispo served as outreach envoys in a campaign aimed at reducing consumption of sugary drinks among young people.
Students at Peralta Elementary in Oakland started a garden, took cooking classes and developed their own recipes using ‘super foods.’ And up in Siskiyou County, high school students led younger children in a fitness and health awareness program.
With obesity rates among California’s adolescents climbing upwards of 30 percent, school and health care officials are seeking new methods to encourage and educate kids on the benefits of better nutritional decisions and physical activity.
One program that seems to have gained some traction is the HEROES wellness initiative, sponsored by UnitedHealthcare and Youth Service America, that offers grants of up to $1,000 for youth-led projects that include both an activity and a service-based component.
Now in its fifth year, HEROES has engaged more than 20,000 children nationally while awarding grants totaling just