Christina Dahlstrom, MPH, CDC PHPS Fellow Andrea Bottiglieri, Student Ambassador Program Coordinator June 25, 2013

1. Youth Ambassadors – Cultivating a Healthier School and Community Christina Dahlstrom, MPH, CDC PHPS Fellow Andrea Bottiglieri, Student Ambassador Program Coordinator June 25, 2013

2. Presentation Outline

3. Mayor’s Fitness Council • In 2010 the Mayor’s Fitness Council (MFC) was formed with the assistance of a DSHS grant • Mission: To lead San Antonio to be one of the healthiest and most active communities in the nation • Goals: • 10% reduction in adult obesity (29% to 26%) • 25% reduction in percentage of students with unhealthy weight (30% to 22%)

4. Student Ambassador Program • Launched in 2012 with corporate funding • Purpose: to provide students the opportunity to represent the MFC by promoting and encouraging healthy living at their school campus, at home, and in their communities

5. Goals and Objectives • Goal: Have an active MFC Student Ambassador in each school in San Antonio by 2020 • Objectives: • Increase the proportion of students who meet national physical activity recommendations by 5% by 2016. • Increase the number of students in Bexar County schools consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day by 5% by 2016. • Increase the proportion of students in Bexar County who are at a healthy weight by 10% by 2020.

6. Mayor’s fitness council student ambassador program 2012-13

7. Presentation Outline

8. Steps to Creating a Student Ambassador Program • Recruit students • Train student ambassadors • Dream It! Complete a needs assessment (roadmap) • Map It! Develop a project plan • Do It! Implement a project to improve nutrition and/or physical activity • Host a citywide youth summit

9. Student Recruitment • Application distributed citywide to area school districts • Press release announcement • Notification to superintendents • Review applications • Convene a review panel to select ambassadors

10. Student Ambassador Trainings • Benefits of physical activity and healthy eating • Peer education • Service Learning • Advocacy and civic engagement • Participation in school wellness councils

11. Dream It! • Students complete a roadmap of their school, after school, home, and neighborhood related to physical activity and nutrition • The roadmap was developed based on the CDC School Health Index and the Fuel Up To Play 60 School Wellness Investigation • Includes a combination of closed and open-ended questions

12. Roadmap Key Findings • Walking and biking to school is limited. • Food sold outside of school meals through fundraisers and concessions is primarily unhealthy • Taste is the primary factor in students’ food and beverage preferences • Water and milk are popular beverages. But other beverages with additional sweeteners, including juice and Gatorade are also popular

13. Roadmap Summary • Provided childhood obesity prevention recommendations for schools based on roadmap findings: • Nutritional Standards for all Foods and Beverages in Schools • Promote Physical Activity in Schools • Taste Testing in Schools • Summary distributed to superintendents

14. Map It! • Students use the findings from their roadmap to map out a plan to improve nutrition and physical activity at their school or in the community including: • Tasks • Timeline • Outreach strategy • Fundraising or grant writing plan

15. Do It! • Students implement their project to improve nutrition and/or physical activity • Students track their progress monthly • Students document their success through videos, blogs, etc.

16. Citywide Youth Summit • Student ambassadors use their knowledge to plan and implement a nutrition and physical activity workshop for all area students.

17. Presentation Outline

18. Student Ambassador Projects • Walking/Running Groups • 5K Run/Walk • Health Fairs • Walk with the Principal Night • Zumba and yoga classes • Morning Announcements • School Garden

19. Student Ambassador Projects

20. Project Highlights • “We had a total of 406 participants. Sponsors donated $$ to buy t-shirts to give out for free. Local Fire department showed support by participating. Booths: Blood pressure and heart rate readings, weight checked, Healthy recipes, Healthy snacks, Aetna, Pedometers given out to use during walk.” • 10th Grade Student Ambassador Hosted a Walk with the Principal Night

21. Presentation Outline

22. Campus Mentors • Each Ambassador has a campus mentor who provides support and guidance with their roadmap, action plan, and project • Provide training to campus mentors on how to support student ambassadors and build a mentoring relationship

23. Parents • Parents provided transportation to and from all trainings and community events • Participated in the Orientation, Dream It and Map It trainings with their child • Parents of younger ambassadors attended community events with their child

24. Presentation Outline

25. Community Partners • Mayor’s Fitness Council representatives • Corporate funders • Local non-profit organizations • Sports teams • Schools • City Government

26. Community Advisory Board • The Mayor’s Fitness Council Community Partner Advisory Board is made up of local leaders and local community organizations, many of which are youth oriented, making it the only multi youth organization program based board in San Antonio

27. Presentation Outline

28. Lessons Learned

29. Next Steps • Complete evaluation of Year 1 • Plans for Year 2: • 40 new student ambassadors • 7 student ambassador alumni • Student wellness club • Implement evidence-based strategies: • extracurricular physical activity opportunities • limiting the sale of unhealthy foods and beverages on school campuses • promoting active transportation

31. Questions? Christina Dahlstrom, MPH CDC Public Health Prevention Service Fellow Christina.dahlstrom@sanantonio.gov Andrea Bottiglieri Student Ambassador Program Coordinator Andrea.Bottiglieri@sanantonio.gov