We would like to wish

Waltham Family School members receive a bag of farm fresh veggies at their Thanksgiving celebration. Veggies courtesy of Waltham Fields Community Farm.

 everyone a happy start to the holiday season and a Happy Thanksgiving! Recently Healthy Waltham joined the Waltham Family School for their annual Thanksgiving potluck. It was great to see all the families and join in the celebration. We also handed out a bag of farm fresh vegetables to every family courtesy of Waltham Fields Community Farm. We continue to be thankful for the wonderful community of Waltham, our collaborators, and our supporters throughout the year.

Since Healthy Waltham's beginning in 2003, our work in the Waltham community has been growing under the guidance and "non-profit umbrella" of the Waltham Partnership for Youth (WPY). This fall, after years of steady development and strategic planning,Healthy Waltham has decided to incorporate, and we are now in the process of applying for 501c3 status on our own. Although this means a lot of reorganizing in the background, our mission, our team, and our work in the community will remain the same. With the help of our steering committee members, many of whom are now board members of the new corporation, we will continue to work with the same partners and supporters to promote healthy lifestyles in the city of Waltham as we have been doing. We wish to express heartfelt thanks to WPY, and most especially Executive Director Beth Toolan for her tireless, thoughtful, and unflaggingly cheerful support through this transitional period in the evolution of Healthy Waltham!

Walk to School Day 

The Northeast and Fitzgerald Elementary Schools participated in the International Walk to School Day on October 3. Walking is a great, natural exercise for kids, and cuts down on traffic and pollution in school areas!  Why not walk it?

Fitzie, the mascot of the Fitzgerald School, welcomes walkers

 The Northeast Elementary School, as one of the first Walk to School participants in MA, was invited to a special celebration on Boston Common. 36 students from the 5th grade joined kids from around MA to show their support of walking to school. Northeast Elementary students walk every Wednesday in October, and then once per month (weather permitting) through the winter. Interested in learning more? Safe Routes to School can help, please see their website by clicking here.  

Waltham Walks at Stonehurst 

Don't be! There are many ways to enjoy kale, that ubiquitous leafy green vegetable. Check out our recent article by Maria DiMaggio in the Waltham News Tribune!  The Waltham Fields Community Farm grows over two TONS of kale a year. Not sure how to prepare kale? We have a few suggestions. Try the harvest kale salad prepared by Healthy Waltham's Chef Glynn at Waltham Farm Day.  Check out the recipe yourself, and find a few reasons to eat more nutritious kale.

Since 2002, the Waltham Public Schools have been administering the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to all grade 7-12 students. This survey is based on a national survey given in schools across the country on a regular basis. It is a well tested and reliable source of information on various student health-related behaviors. On October 25, the data was presented at a public forum at Waltham High School. The data is available on the school website here.