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Jenna Kaczmarski
Co-Chair
Polk County Public
Schools
Kathleen Wright
Co-Chair
Polk County Public
Schools
Karen Bessinger
Lakeland Regional
Health
Julia Davis
Polk TPO
Mindi Fitch
City of Lakeland
Audrey Kelley
Polk County Public
Schools
Deanna Kirkland
Florida Department of
Health in Polk County
Ileana Kniss
Peace River Center
Jenna Levine
Florida Department of
Health in Polk County
Colleen Mangan
Florida Department of
Health in Polk County
Andrea Nikolai
University of Florida/
IFAS
Jennifer Rouse
Polk County Public
Schools
School Health
LEAD Team
Vision
Reduce the Obesity rate (BMI>30) in Polk
County to less than the state average (from
36.9 percent to 26.4percent).
A Healthy Schools pilot program was launched in
five Polk County Elementary Schools during the
2017- 2018 school year. The pilot was inspired by
a nationally recognized evidence-based model
emphasizing the benefits of integrating health
and education in the school setting.
With the goal of improving student health and
academic achievement, each Healthy School
implemented one or more tactics tied to
increasing the consumption of nutrient dense
foods and/or increasing physical activity.
Children often cannot differentiate between
healthy and unhealthy foods. Nutrition education
is focused on the importance of eating five
servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
When young children are exposed to lessons
and activities that focus on eating fruits and
vegetables, their intake of these nutritious foods
increases significantly.
Graphic inspired by the Action for Healthy Kids' 2004
report. The Learning Connection: The Value of Improving
Nutrition and Physical Activity in Our Schools.
ABOVE: Pre-K students at Medulla
Elementary learning about the school’s
garden.
Deidre Skaggs
Polk County Public
Schools
Rachelle Webb
All Children’s Hospital,
Safe Routes to School
GOOD FOOD
1 in 3
children are
overweight or
obese. Only 1 out of
every 3 children are
physically active
every day. Only 1
in 2 children eat
enough daily fruits
and vegetable.
(Alliance For A
Healthier Generation)
Even moderate exercise, like
walking, increases brain
activity.
thousand
SCHOOL KIDS
Each one of us can
help improve the
eating and activity
habits of the 105
thousand school
kids in Polk County,
and in the process,
improve their health
so they can succeed
in the classroom.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
SUPPORTS ACHIEVEMENT
ACTIVE BODIES
5 HEALTHY SCHOOLS
PILOT SCHOOLS
Highland City Elementary
Inwood Elementary
Medulla Elementary