Improving the Curious Community: Part 2

We’re continuing our series on education, highlighting programs in Wisconsin that are helping our community to improve environmental stewardship and health among youth. Last time we discussed the Healthy and Green Schools Wisconsin program and today we will be discussing the Driven to Better Health program.

Administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in partnership with retired Green Bay Packer Donald Driver, this program encourages schools to make healthy eating and exercise habits a part of each student’s day. According to the program site, more than 53,000 students participate in the program each year. Staff and students are encouraged to join the program to improve community health, but it doesn’t hurt that the most successful school will receive a visit from Green Bay legend Donald Driver.

The Steps:

·       Communities interested in this program should visit: www.driventobetterhealth.com to access the program rubric and the required activity trackers. Though the information for 2017 isn’t available yet, be sure to check back in January for updates. In the meantime, you can view the 2016 rubric and activity tracker here.

·        Once a leadership team has been established and the program requirements have been shared with students and staff, it’s time to brainstorm healthy and fun ways to satisfy the activity and nutrition requirements. For example, a school may decide to start a running club or build a school garden that supplies food to the cafeteria. The important thing is that the programs encourages health in the school and in the community.

·       Participants are also asked to complete an e-learning activity created by the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. This activity helps students and staff to learn some fun facts about eating healthy and exercising. Participants are encouraged to share what they’ve learned with community members as well, bridging that gap between science and the community.   Past winners have also sent out newsletters to parents and community members to spread their knowledge and showcase the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

Overall, this program is all about improving the community, which is something the Curious Community can support! That’s why I’m so excited to share this program with you and to showcase the 2016 Driven to Better Health winner Brooklyn Elementary in a special story next Friday. So join us then to see how this program is making a difference in one community.

Have a program I should highlight or a local group doing great work?

Let me know in the comments or on Facebook @Curiouscolumnist