Project Healthy Schools
By the end of the school year, students at Ferndale Middle School will be motivated to exercise more, eat healthier and spend less time watching TV and playing video games. These are the goals of the Building Healthy Communities: Engaging Middle Schools through Project Healthy Schools program, which is entering its third year at Ferndale Middle School.
Building Healthy Communities: Engaging Middle Schools through Project Healthy Schools is supported within Ferndale Schools by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the University of Michigan.
Goals of the Project Healthy Schools program are for students to:
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Choose less sugary food and beverages
Eat less fast and fatty food
Be active every day
Spend less time in front of a screen
Project Healthy Schools (PHS) is an evidence-based, comprehensive, school-wide program designed to reduce childhood obesity and improve the current and future health of Michigan’s youth. Once the program is implemented in a school, it continues year after year, creating a culture of health that benefits future generations of students. The Project Healthy Schools program includes:
Educating 6th - 8th grade students through 10 hands-on lessons
Providing a healthy, supportive environment that makes the healthy choice the easy choice
Encouraging students to practice lessons learned in the classroom
Increasing access to physical activity opportunities
Increasing access to healthy, nutrient-rich food and beverages
Leading this effort is FMS teacher Michelle Morden and Jenn Alexander, a Wellness Coordinator, for Project Healthy Schools. School staff, parents and students who are interested in being on the Wellness Team and working together to create a healthier environment at FMS should contact Ms. Morden at michelle.morden@ferndaleschools.org.