Hello, my name is Landon.  I am a part of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) funded program, Youth Action Health Leadership (YAHL). One of YAHL’s campaigns is Elevate Student Health. The majority of schools in Oklahoma do not have comprehensive wellness policies for their district. The Elevate Student Health campaign works with schools to improve school wellness policies and helps individual school districts adopt a comprehensive policy to improve overall student health.

At my high school in Hennessy Oklahoma, many students get their nutrition from school, since we consume the majority of our calories during the school day. This is why having good nutritious options at school is important, especially for those who cannot get the proper nutrition from home. 

Elevate Student Health also focuses on physical activity. Exercise is an important part of living a healthy life. You can exercise by walking, running, or working out in a gym. Most students, unless they are involved in a sport, do not have the time or a place to exercise throughout the day. With a comprehensive wellness policy that includes increased physical activity in our schools, we can get the exercise we need. The Elevate Student Health campaign works towards policies that ensure students are getting the physical activity that they need, including encouraging P.E. classes for exercise for all students. We also advocate for clean drinking water in schools that is available for free. Every student deserves to live a healthy life and that starts at school.

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By: Landon Lopez, Hennessey High School