| Participating Schools
Project Healthy Schools - a community/University of MichiganHealth System collaborative is now at East and West Middle School in Ypsilanti and all five Ann Arbor middle schools. After upbeat and engaging kick-off events in the fall, the sixth graders participate in educational activities and environmental changes throughout the year.
 All 6th grade students are involved in 10 twenty minute, weekly classroom activities. View an activity. The activities provide a hands-on and fun learning experience focusing on the program's 5 goals:eat more fruits and vegetables
- exercise at least 150 minutes per week
- eat less fast and fatty food
- make better beverage choices
- spend less mindless time in front of a screen
During the year Project Healthy Schools teams up with the sixth grade physical education teachers to present special events, highlighting flexibility and stretching through yoga and Pilates, or strength training using loops, bands and balls. Special assemblies may occur, too. A jump roping team amazed us one year. In 2007, an EMU dramatic presentation about lifestyle choices was a hit!
A Tracker/Incentive Program goes along with the first three week of activities. Students record their daily minutes of activity the first week, followed by lunch-time fruit, vegetable and beverage consumption in the next few weeks. The class at each school that has the highest point average is awarded the Project Healthy Schools trophy and is eligible to have a smoothie or popcorn party. Every student who accumulates a minimum number of points is entered into a drawing for prizes such as frisbies, Borders gift cards, or an iPod. A special thanks to Borders for donating the gift cards.
This year Ypsilantisixth graders, with the consent of a parent or guardian, may participate in a heart healthy screening that includes:
- blood pressure measurements
- height and weight measurements
- 3 minute fitness test
- finger-poke cholesterol/lipid and glucose screening
The results are not shared with the sixth graders but parents/guardians are sent a letter with the results. Additionally, these sixth graders complete a questionnaire about their eating and activity patterns. This allows us to determine if their behavior has changed after the educational component.
Parents
Interested in information related to what your student is learning? Below are the titles of the 10 activities your 6th grader experiences.
This will be fun year!
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