The HEAL Project began in 2005 at Hatch Elementary School with a grant from Kaiser Permanente. The program has been very successful and well received by students, teachers, parents, school & district administrators and community members alike.
HEAL stands for:
Health - Empowering children with the knowledge and experience to make healthy choices about food & fitness.
Environment - Understanding cycles, ecosystems and how people effect and are effected by those systems, encouraging personal responsibility and stewardship.
Agriculture - Bringing to life the process of growing, harvesting, transporting, selling and preparing produce; promoting the importance of local agriculture and the food system.
Local Partners - Connecting children to their community through field trips to nearby farms, ranches and businesses, classroom visits, and school-grown produce sales.
The HEAL program integrates into school curricula- it compliments and supports existing classroom education with standards based applications in science, nutrition, social studies, math, literature and the arts, both in the HEAL classroom and the student garden. The comprehensive approach to learning incorporates 1 hour class time every week including visits from farmers, fishermen and food professionals. Field trips to nearby farms are incorporated to connect students with local agriculture, history, ecosystems, and microclimates. HEAL students are also engaged in 2 sessions of organized games and sports during lunch recess each week. Parent involvement is vital to the success of the program. Many parents have discovered that HEAL not only enhances their child's education, but also supports healthy lifestyle development at home.
The HEAL Project depends on community support to pay for its staff, curricular supplies and materials. Consider supporting The HEAL Project with a donation. In kind donations of garden supplies, sports equipment and volunteer time are also welcome contributions.
Take Action:
- Make a donation. Payable to Coastside Health Committee at Coastside Health Committee, PO Box 78 Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 or call (650) 283-2920.
- Start a similar program at your local elementary school. The HEAL project can help. Go to http://www.cabrillo.k12.ca.us/heal/ for more information.
Citations:
http://www.cabrillo.k12.ca.us/heal/
Picture:
HEAL Project icon: http://www.cabrillo.k12.ca.us/heal/
