Hi! My name is Mika, and I am a senior at Stonewall High School. This is my first year as a YAHL Leadership Team member, and I’m hoping to spread the word about the Elevate Student Health campaign. YAHL stands for Youth Action for Health Leadership, and one of the campaigns we work on is a policy change campaign called Elevate Student Health. Elevate Student Health is focused on overall student health and ensuring students have access to everything they need in school to be successful. This is done by improving school wellness policies, with the focus of better nutritious foods, increased physical activity and access to clean drinking water.

In today's fast-paced world, student health often takes a backseat to academic and extracurricular demands. However, prioritizing health is crucial for students to excel both in and out of the classroom. 

I had the opportunity to meet with the principal at my local elementary school to talk about our school wellness policy and how we could possibly make some improvements for the better of the students in my district. At my high school, I recommended that we focus more on healthy food options and the changing of the water fountain filters to ensure we all have clean drinking water.

By focusing on these aspects of student health, we can create a positive environment that supports students in achieving their academic and personal goals. Remember, a healthy student is a successful student!

‍

By: Mika Matt, Stonewall High School