4H Health Programs for Youth

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4-H Health Programs for Youth
Courtney J. Schoessow, MPH Health
Specialist C-schoessow_at_tamu.edu
Alice Kirk, MPH Child Health Specialist ab-kirk_at_ta
mu.edu
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Session Overview

• 4-H Club Health/Safety Officer Handbook
• Focus on Health- Method Demonstration
• Students Winning Against Tobacco (SWAT)
• Put it Outside, Raising Healthy Kids
• Project Towards No Tobacco (TNT)
• Walk Across Texas (WAT)
• Mini-grants from Texas Cancer Council
• HealthHints Newsletters

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4-H Club Health/Safety Officer Handbook

• Developed by 4-H and FCS team
• Provides 4-H members with leadership
  opportunities
• Suggests duties for meetings and activities
• Includes various health topics
• Copies can be downloaded at
• http//fcs.tamu.edu/health/index.htm

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Focus on Health- Method Demonstration

• Presentations relate to health education and the
  health industry
• Presentations must be supported by sound medical
  and health journal articles
• Suggested presentation topics include
• Increasing Physical activity
• Reducing Cancer risk
• Reducing/preventing tobacco use
• Sun safety
• Hand washing
• First aid
• Dental care
• Stress management

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Focus on Health Contest- Resources

• Texas Cooperative Extension Health and Safety
  Website- http//extensionhealth.tamu.edu
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Texas Department of State Health Services
• Educational Resources at District Centers
• Educational Resource Library
• Youth developed websites
• http//getmovin.tamu.edu
• http//dontdip.tamu.edu
• http//coolshade.tamu.edu
• http//nobutts.tamu.edu

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Students Winning Against Tobacco (SWAT)

• Goal- To prevent tobacco use and susceptibility
  to other substances
• Comprehensive community focused tobacco
  prevention program
• Research based and uses best practices
• Can be downloaded- go to http//fcs.tamu.edu/youth
  /index.php or agent only health website.

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Put it Outside, Raising Healthy Kids

• Goal- Reduce exposure of young children to
  tobacco smoke
• 4-H youth and leaders can be trained on
  curriculum
• Curriculum available in flip chart or power point
  presentation
• On-line data entry and automatic data analysis
  available at http//fcs.tamu.edu/health/index.htm

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Project Towards No Tobacco (TNT)

• 10 session program with proven results
• School delivery recommended but can be adapted
  to other youth groups
• Available for purchase (45) at ETR at
  http//www.etr.org/pub/php/result.php3
• Apply for Texas Cancer Council mini-grants to
  purchase this curriculum supportive materials

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Walk Across Texas (WAT)

• Goal- To establish the habit of regular physical
  activity
• 8-week program where team members support each
  other
• On-line data entry at http//walkacrosstexas.tamu.
  edu
• 4-H teams can be established
• Classes within schools can compete as a team
• Youth Health Breaks available on topics- examples
  include
• Beginning a physical activity program
• Dressing for Physical activity
• Safety first
• Over-heating

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Texas Cancer Council (TCC) Mini-Grants

• Approximately 60 mini-grants available every
  October to any Texas Cooperative Extension Agent
• Amounts vary from 250 to 1,000.
• Request for proposal can be found on FCS agent
  only website
• Work must be completed by August 31 of the
  corresponding year
• Final reports must be submitted using established
  forms found on FCS agent only website
• Funds can be used to purchase health program
  curriculum and resources- examples include
• TNT curriculum
• Mr. Dip Lip
• Pedometers for Title I schools
• UV beads bracelets

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HealthHints Newsletters

• Available on FCS agent only website
• Various health related topics covered including
• Childhood Overweight
• Importance of Hand washing

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Session Summary

• WE are here to help YOU!!!
• Contact either Alice or Courtney for support
• Alice 979-458-2098 or ab-kirk_at_tamu.edu
• Courtney 979-458-4224 or c-schoessow_at_tamu.edu