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Thank You, Cyndi! (continued)

Project LEAN will continue to serve in its leadership capacity by offering its expertise, training and resources. For more information, visit www.CaliforniaProjectLEAN.org. 

Parents in Action: Effective Engagement in School Wellness (continued) 

A just-completed evaluation of CPL's trainings and ongoing technical assistance provides the evidence that parents who have received the trainings gained new skills and confidence and felt more comfortable to advocate for healthier foods and beverages and more physical activity in their children's schools.

The evaluation, conducted by The Sarah Samuels Center for Public Health Research & Evaluation and which included surveys and focus groups, showed statistically significant increases in the trained parents':

• Knowledge of the National Child Nutrition Programs such as the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs as well as the California Nutrition Standards and Physical Education requirements;
• Ability to help reduce sugary drinks at school;
• Knowledge of Project LEAN's four-step advocacy process, which includes:
  • Pick a problem and find a solution
  • Identify the policy players
  • Build your action plan
  • Evaluate how your group is doing; and
• Awareness of and involvement in their local school district wellness committee and/or served in other leadership roles.  

City Heights

Parents, in partnership with teachers, are actively participating in school-based Health & Wellness Councils developing Healthy Party and Classroom Rewards guidelines. They started student Run/Walk Clubs and a Smart Choice Rewards program.  Parent leaders have also helped submit successful grant requests for funding to sustain and expand these parent-led programs that increase physical activity and recognize that healthy behaviors lead to student success.

Sacramento
One parent, who now participates on the district's Coordinated School Health Committee and who was successful in reaching out to other parents, teachers, and the school principal, initiated the development of a school-based Wellness Committee that developed and is now implementing a school-site wellness policy addressing classroom celebrations, birthdays, and rewards. 

South Kern 

Parents are eager to join the district's Wellness Council and have increased involvement in their school sites. They are actively advocating for revisions to the wellness policy that would remove

sugary drinks and increase access to water, improve physical education and ensure continuation of the breakfast in the classroom program. 

To read or download the report click here: Report 

CA4Health: Madera County Success (continued)  

 

About CA4Health

The Public Health Institute (PHI) was awarded a Community Transformation Grant to implement CA4Health in 42 small/rural California counties with a population of 500,000 or less. CA4Health seeks to reduce health disparities and provides funding to 12 small/rural counties and non-financial resources to 30 others.

CA4Health focuses on the following four strategic directions:

California Project LEAN serves as the Healthy Eating Active Living Strategic Direction Lead providing support to the CA4Health counties as they work to  facilitate the adoption of healthier beverage standards for meetings, vending and procurement in places like schools, community organizations and government. Check out California Project LEAN's Beverage Standards 

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