A healthy school is one that strives to achieve best practices in multiple areas of care for their students. Areas of care and health include nutrition, physical activity, tobacco prevention & a drug free environment, health services, social & emotional, family engagement, community involvement, employee wellness, and health education.
For more information on a healthy school, please see the Whole School, Whole Community Whole Child (WSCC) Framework.
2023: Paulden Community School
2022: Granville
2021: Beaver Creek
2020: Lake Valley
This is an event we do bi-annually, one in Prescott and one in Cottonwood. In Prescott we are a supporting partner to North Star Youth Partnership. Teens walk through a maze and learn life skills and valuable information to help guide them to a healthy future. It is an educational field trip with over 15 organizations sharing their knowledge about important relevant topics.
Body Expedition (previously referred to as Body Walk) is a YCCHS program designed to address health trends among youth and engage children in positive healthy behaviors. We know that health education at an early age is important for forming healthy habits that will follow children into adulthood.
Body Expedition is a biannual field trip for third graders across Yavapai County that is hosted in Prescott and Cottonwood with many rural schools attending the event. In two hours, the students learn about the body, how it works, and healthy habits. Each student receives a bag of health-related items (i.e. toothbrushes, coloring book, etc.) to take home with them to reinforce the messages they learned.
This beloved community event has been running for 25 years. This field trip is free for schools to attend. Approximately 900-1,000 third graders attend each year. That means at least 22,500 third graders in Yavapai County have been to a Body Walk!
School gardens have been around for over 100 years, and school districts continue to use them today to establish healthy eating habits; as educational tools in the classroom; and to promote community inclusion. If your school would like assistance starting a garden at your school, teaching garden education, or assistance with your school, we are here to help.
Self-Awareness: Lessons about optimal nutrition teaches children the importance of taking ownership of their own health. Encourage students to think about how they feel physically and mentally depending on the foods they eat. Exploring the mind-body connection leads to students’ greater self-awareness and skills to make better choices to nourish their bodies and help them feel their best.
Social Awareness: Nutrition education serves as an opportunity to teach children about food and its relation to culture and family heritage. Discussing culinary variances across cultures helps expose children to different foods and traditional practices, increasing their understanding and appreciation for diversity.
Community Health Education also offers nutrition education at eligible schools through AZ Health Zone. We use the evidence-based curriculum Food Smarts.
For more information on the curriculum please visit Food Smarts
If you are interested in School Garden Assistance or Nutrition Education, please contact CHE@yavapaiaz.gov
Regular physical activity can help children and adolescents improve cardiorespiratory fitness, build strong bones and muscles, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and reduce the risk of developing chronic health conditions.
Community Health Education strives to make physical activity fun and something we continue to do throughout our lifetime. CHE can assist with Tai Chi classes, bike to school or walk to school programs, bike rodeos, mountain bike clubs, and much more.
CHE assists with the Dr. Daniel Bright School bike club, getting more kids on bikes throughout the Verde Valley. For more information or to become a coach for Verde Valley Wheel Fun – visit their website.
Yavapai County Community Health Services’ Active Living and School Wellness Programs are funded through AZ Health Zone provided by the USDA SNAP Education Grant.
About AZ Health Zone
The AZ Health Zone supports moms and communities across Arizona to make healthy changes in homes and neighborhoods. From local gardens in your community, to working with your kids’ schools to create healthy environments, the AZ Health Zone provides your family opportunities to be active and healthy your way.
For more information visit https://www.azhealthzone.org/
