The Board adopted additions to their wellness policy to improve the health of students and staff based on recommendations from Elevate Student Health
The Westville School Board passed improvements to their district wellness policy, a move that will impact the health of the over 1,000 students in the Adair County school district.
The policy updates include encouraging staff to display healthy eating habits and physical activity choices to students. They also include increasing the time for students to have movement breaks and ensuring curricula is updated to align with new state and federal standards.
One Westville High School student, Addison Pilcher, participating in Elevate Student Health, recommended updates to the district’s wellness policy based on evidence for what elements would have the greatest impact on youth and staff health.
Elevate Student Health is funded by the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) through the Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) program.
Most children consume as much as half of their daily calories on campus, and so schools have a tremendous opportunity to improve the health of their students. This is why Elevate Student Health partners with districts across the state to improve their wellness policies through greater access to nutritious foods, increased physical activity and more opportunities to drink water throughout the day.
Data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health shows almost 18% of Oklahoma high school students are obese, one of the highest rates in the nation. While weight does not equal health, children with obesity are more likely to develop chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, lower self-esteem and self-reported lower quality of life.
Physical inactivity and poor nutrition remain two of the leading behavioral risk factors for obesity. In Oklahoma, only 26.8 percent of high school students get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity, and roughly 15 percent drink soda two or more times per day.
Ryan Swank, superintendent of Westville Public Schools, said, “We updated our wellness policy to ensure we are fully aligned with best practices and 100% of the recommended guidelines, while keeping our focus on supporting the overall health and well-being of every student. This work reflects our commitment to creating a school environment where healthy choices are encouraged and supported every day.”
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Elevate Student Health is an initiative working to improve the health of Oklahoma youth through comprehensive physical activity and nutrition policies in schools. It is funded by the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). For more information, visit ElevateStudentHealth.com.
Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), is a statewide youth-led initiative that partners with schools and organizations to make meaningful and measurable impact on Oklahoma by promoting healthy behaviors. For more information, visit yahlok.org.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health. To learn more, go to oklahoma.gov/TSET.