Hello, my name is Emma M. I attend The Academy of Seminole and am currently in the 11th grade. I am involved with Youth Action for Health Leadership (YAHL) and serve on the Leadership Team. YAHL empowers students to advocate for healthier schools and communities. My school’s lack of healthy lunch options and the absence of a physical education class for high school students inspired me to become involved in this work.

When I first joined YAHL, I wanted to learn how students could make a difference in their schools. Through the program, I discovered that many students across Oklahoma face similar challenges when it comes to nutrition, physical activity and overall wellness. I realized that improving student health is not just about individual choices. It is also about creating environments that make healthy choices easier and more accessible.

Through the Elevate Student Health campaign, students work with schools to strengthen wellness policies. Members advocate for change by giving presentations to school boards, principals and superintendents. I have personally given presentations to both my superintendent and school board. Although speaking in front of school leaders was intimidating at first, it taught me the importance of using my voice to create change. After sharing my concerns and ideas, I felt that they listened to me and took my opinions seriously. That experience showed me that students can have a meaningful impact on decisions that affect their education and well-being.

Elevate Student Health focuses on increasing opportunities for physical activity, improving access to healthy food and beverages and ensuring access to clean drinking water. These goals may seem simple, but they can have a significant impact on students’ lives.

Physical activity is important because it helps students stay healthy, manage stress and improve focus in the classroom. Many students spend most of their day sitting in classes, so opportunities to move and exercise are important. Healthy food options are equally important because students need proper nutrition to learn effectively and maintain their energy throughout the day. When schools offer healthier choices, they can help students build healthy habits. Access to clean drinking water is another important part of student wellness because staying hydrated helps students feel and perform their best.

People should care about wellness policies because the health of students today can affect the future of our communities. Schools play a major role in shaping healthy habits and strong wellness policies can help create environments that support healthy choices every day. By supporting these policies, we are investing in the success and well-being of future generations.

My involvement with YAHL has shown me that change is possible when students are willing to speak up and advocate for what they believe in. Every student deserves access to healthy food, opportunities for physical activity and clean drinking water at school. By working together, students, educators and community leaders can create healthier school environments that help all students succeed.

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Blog written by: Emma Mangum, The Academy of Seminole