Panhandle Public Health District educates kids on health, nutrition through various programs

This series highlights children in the community, along with their families, teachers and mentors to recognize the Week of the Young Child, a national celebration of early learning and child development. 

The celebration runs from April 11-17 with themed days-of-the-week, highlighting the critical role of play, creativity and collaboration in a child’s development. 

Part two corresponds with Tasty Tuesday.

PANHANDLE REGION -- The Panhandle Public Health District has several opportunities for schools to participate in educating children about healthy lifestyle choices.

PPHD organizes a Third Grade Wellness Day every year in September where schools can sign up to visit one of four locations – Chadron, Alliance, Scottsbluff or Sidney – for a one-day event where they go to learn about nutrition and physical activity. 

Schools in the panhandle are also able to request a team to visit their afterschool programs to provide education around nutrition and physical activity.

Wellness & Prevention Program Manager Nicole Berosek said if a school does not have an after-school program, they can arrange a time to visit during class if a teacher is interested in that. 

“We really want to ensure that we get the education out there, and we’re very rural so sometimes we don’t always have the education,” Berosek said. “We are considered more of a food desert out here, so the more we can educate to get parents and kids aware, that’s really where the education and implementation come into play.” 

At the Third Grade Wellness Day, students participate in activities to learn about sugar intake, how much sugar is a healthy amount, healthy breakfast choices, and how to balance between protein, carbs and fats, as well as how much physical activity they should do based on the food choices they make. 

“We do an activity around energy balance, and they get to pick between a couple slices of apple, a tiny candy bar or a piece of beef jerky, and they get to pick what they want, then they select that item and eat that item and then they run or exercise for a set amount of time based on that item they selected,” Berosek said. 

She said it’s important for teachers to be educated as well. 

“If you have kids who have problems with behavior or what not, maybe offer a healthy, higher protein snack that would help them sustain their energy a little bit longer,” Berosek said. 

Teaching kids about nutrition at a young age will help them build healthy habits that will translate into their teenage and young adult years. 

“You learn all those habits early, and those are your go-tos and it’s really hard to change habits so it’s just easier to have better habits,” Berosek said. 

She also encourages parents to include their children in cooking at home so they can see what ingredients go into healthy meals while also learning how to cook for themselves.

“They see what the end product is and that they can do this, and they can make these things on their own if they’re at that age that they’re able to do it on their own or with the help of a parent, then they learn those skills early,” she said. 

PPHD also promotes a few national initiatives including Walk to School Day held in October, and Bike & Roll to School Day held in May, which is scheduled this year for May 6.

“We just really need to encourage kids at a young age to get outside and move their bodies and for parents to feed their kids healthy foods,” Berosek said. “It’s very challenging with the busyness of life, but I do believe if you start earlier its easier for the kids to learn those lifestyle habits.”