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Recently, the community service work of Jesus Salas of Miami has taken the broadcasting professional into the schools of the Greater Miami area. Always interested in fitness and health, Jesus Salas of Miami is now increasingly committed to ensuring that students have access to all of the tools necessary to become healthy adults for their entire lives. Here are a few ways that schools can integrate health and fitness into students’ daily lives: Integrate a School Fitness Program There are countless organizations today designing ready-made programs for schools to integrate into day-to-day activities. From ten-minute plans for short recesses to get students moving to larger-scale programs that can give schools ideas about everything from improving air quality to reshaping cafeteria offerings, these programs can be tailored to the individual school and its students’ needs. Create Healthy Relationships with Food Students who eat breakfast and lunch at school are generally at the mercy of what the cafeteria offers. While some schools are beginning to move towards healthier, fresh options made from whole foods, many schools continue to work with a menu that looks more like something a student could find at a fast-food drive through. Additionally, schools might consider working in a nutrition and healthy eating class, which can teach students the rudiments of planning means and instill a basic understanding of healthy cooking skills. Revamp Gym Class While gym class has traditionally been something of a throwaway period, schools should consider using it to focus more on lifelong fitness rather than simply having students play dodgeball for 45 minutes. Many schools are moving towards fitness classes rather than gym classes, where students spend the time learning how to design a healthy exercise program for themselves and then putting it into practice. Focus on the Future School provides a unique opportunity to equip students with the health information that they’ll need both now and later on, but many schools don’t take full advantage of this opportunity. Health class should create a dynamic environment where students can come with their questions and concerns and have them answered honestly. Additionally, programming should focus on a full spectrum of health issues. Integrate Activity Into the Classroom This one can be harder for older students who may be doing more intense academic work or who may not want to get up and moving during the day, but it is possible to creatively tie physical activity into schoolwork. More hands-on learning, for example, can encourage students to at least get up from their desks and walk around. Classes could also be revamped to involve an exploration of the outdoors or more trips to physical sites that will give students the chance to be up and moving. Sources: http://healthyschoolscampaign.org/programs/
http://www.cfitkids.com/the-need-for-fitness-in-schools/
http://www.schoolhealthcenters.org/healthlearning/nutritionfitness/nutritionfitnessresources/organizations/
http://michaelzweifel.blogspot.com/2013/03/physical-activity-and-fitness-in-schools.html
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