TSET Programs Support Updates to Improve Student and Staff Health
MUSKOGEE, Okla. — On June 25, the Muskogee Public Schools Board passed sweeping enhancements to their district wellness policy, impacting the health of more than 4,800 students in the district. The new policy includes increasing the amount of physical activity for students, enhancing the nutritional quality of school meals and providing additional nutrition education for students in the district.
The changes represent a collaborative effort by various stakeholders dedicated to improving student health. Angel Tillman, the Muskogee TSET Health Living Program’s assistant program coordinator, along with students participating in Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL), a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) and a part of the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative, played crucial roles in advocating for these updates. Their collective efforts helped shape the policies to ensure the greatest impact on youth and staff health.
"As we celebrate the commitment made by the Muskogee Public Schools Board to enhance student and staff wellness through updated policies, we recognize the pivotal role schools play in shaping the health outcomes of our youth,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “By prioritizing nutrition and physical activity, we pave the way for a healthier future generation.”
YAHL members, including an incoming senior at Muskogee High School, Gracie McCoin, met with district leaders to recommend updates for their district’s wellness policies. McCoin spoke about why this accomplishment is important to her.
“I support these updates because I care about the future of our students. We are the future. Let’s take action now and not wait for the problem to become worse,” said McCoin.
Tillman also shared her perspective on the collaborative effort. "It was great for me to represent the Muskogee TSET Healthy Living Program and collaborate with the Muskogee Public Schools district nutrition staff,” said Tillman. “This partnership has provided an opportunity to effectively educate students, assisting them in improving their health when they are young, with the hope that they will continue to make healthier choices as adults."
Most children consume as much as half of their daily calories at school, so school districts have a tremendous opportunity to improve the health of their students. TSET’s YAHL program partners with districts across the state to improve their wellness policies through greater access to nutritious foods, increased physical activity and providing more opportunities to drink water throughout the day.
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The TSET Healthy Youth Initiative empowers youth to improve health outcomes for themselves and future generations. The initiative includes statewide public health education messaging, a youth-led advocacy program and character building to reduce tobacco use and obesity. The initiative also gives parents resources to support their children in maintaining or developing healthy habits for a lifetime. Visit TSETHealthyYouth.com to learn more.
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. To learn more, go to Oklahoma.gov/TSET.
TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health