Schools for healthy lifestyles: leading the way to a healthier tomorrow for Oklahoma.

摘要

Founded in 1997, Schools for Healthy Lifestyles (SHL) promotes healthy lifestyle choices in Oklahoma's elementary school children. SHL is a registered 501 C (3) in the State of Oklahoma.The founding of SHL grew out of a perceived need by the Oklahoma County Medical Society (OCMS). OCMS provided the initial impetus for SHL's beginning. The initial program model was adopted from a similar program in Kentucky.Dr. John Bozalis, as President of the Oklahoma County Medical Society, asked a group of concerned citizens to help him start SHL's original program. The original board of directors included Donna Nigh, Gene Rainbolt, Stan Hupfeld, Jean Gummerson and Lou Kerr.Eight (8) Oklahoma City Public Schools participated in the program that first year. Today, SHL boasts 61 member elementary schools from 18 counties and 28 districts.The mission of Schools for Healthy Lifestyles is to promote and maintain healthy lifestyle choices in Oklahoma through preventive, community-based school health education programs for students, their families and faculty. The improvement of public health is accomplished by teaching younger citizens the value of healthy living and demonstrating how healthy lifestyles can be achieved for a lifetime. Key areas addressed in the program include nutrition, physical activity, injury prevention, tobacco use prevention and oral health education.