Hi, my name is Audrina Baker, and I attend Classen SAS. I’ve been a part of YAHL for 4 years and on the leadership team for 3. My experience through YAHL has been extremely valuable to me, and I’ve taken many things away from our campaigns, especially Elevate Student Health. Our campaign, Elevate Student Health, works to update school wellness policies to make them comprehensive. YAHL’S goal is to get cleaner drinking water, increased physical activity and healthier food options in schools. 

Along my journey, I’ve done several events to help improve my school district, such as principal meetings and collecting surveys. This is a huge point in our mission because all the information and support we receive helps YAHL grasp what improvements can be made and ultimately make those changes. I’ve taken away many things from these events, but elementary school presentations are outstanding to me. Going into the schools, I get to see the firsthand joy the kids get from being in P.E. and talking about their favorite fruits. 

Seeing my younger generation embracing their health motivates me to continue to update wellness policies so they can continue those practices once they reach high school. The support from the students, teachers and principals makes a huge difference in updating wellness policies, and I want to continue to do work in schools to see kids nurture their health. As a high schooler who doesn’t have the option to be in P.E. without sacrificing my other extracurriculars, I think it’s important to make changes that will continue to benefit our youth. 

I originally grew up in California, and we were required to be involved in 60 minutes of physical activity every day. I moved to Oklahoma in middle school and was faced with the challenge of not being able to engage in physical activity. I remember the toll this took on my mental health, and I would hate for other students to face the difficulty I experienced when moving up grade levels. 

Overall, I think advocacy is a really important aspect because not only are we raising awareness, but as students, we are giving a voice to the unheard. Thank you for taking your time to read a part of my experience working on Elevate Student Health.

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By: Audrina Baker, Classen SAS