Hi, my name is Natalie Hall, and I attend Classen SAS. This is my first year being part of the Leadership Team, but I have been in YAHL for two years now. Over the years, YAHL has shown me how important it is to take care of your health.

Growing up, I wasn’t the smallest or the most in shape, but I just went through life without thinking much about my health. Since joining YAHL, I have been able to realize for myself and others how we should treat our bodies with respect and kindness by giving our bodies healthy foods, clean water and the exercise we need to stay healthy and active.

I have done an Elevate Student Health presentation at an elementary school, where we taught the kids about healthy foods they should eat and showed them how bad too much sugar can be for their health. We also played a really fun exercise game that helped the kids stay focused and got their brains thinking. Through Elevate Student Health, we have the potential to help schools get cleaner water and better food options in the cafeteria by updating our school wellness policy.

This campaign has shown me that not all students have the same opportunity to access natural and healthy food choices and some school water filters may not be the cleanest. I believe all students should have those resources available to help them live a healthier lifestyle.

Everyone should have an equal opportunity to have clean water to drink when they are thirsty and nutritious meals provided during lunch. Another important issue is physical activity. Students sit down most of the day and often do not have enough opportunities to release their extra energy. This can leave kids unfocused and unable to achieve what they need to during everyday tasks.

Making changes to school policies and updating them can make schools a better place where students are able to focus, stay involved and engage in what they are learning throughout the day. Changing these policies can create a better life for everyone.

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By: Natalie Hall, Classen SAS High School

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