Success Story - Schools Forum
July 2004
Contact Person
Barbe West
Funded Community
Community Choices
Description:
A school and community forum was held to prompt dialogue between local health officials, local school board leaders, school administrators and teachers and other interested community partners concerning school nutrition and physical activity. Representatives from the Clark County Health Department and STEPS staff from Community Choices took the lead in planning and implementing this community forum in coordination with the two major school districts, Evergreen Public Schools and the Vancouver School District, and ESD112. The sponsorship for this forum was provided by the Washington State Board of Health in collaboration with other state and local agencies.
This forum is an integral activity within the Schools Work Plan for the STEPS grant.
There were 42 individuals that attended the 2-hour forum. These individuals included school board members, school administrators, school practitioners, a local business owner, food service personnel and public health professionals as well as interested community members.
Reading material was provided to each participant and the program included an overview of the Obesity epidemic by a pediatrician, effective school-based practices and policies, an overview of the Steps to a HealthierUS Initiative, a PE demonstration by students and a work session to prioritize the eight policy/practice areas which will advise the Schools Intervention Team. Refreshments were provided by the Cyber Café which is a local culinary arts department and kids learning center in the Vancouver School District.
The high school provided trained students to videotape the forum and the Vancouver School District provided the facility. Participants were asked to evaluate the forum and upon completion of the evaluation, they received a Pedometer.
On a scale of 1-5, the overall evaluation of the forum by participants was in the range of 4.2-4.8.
In terms of lessons learned, using this type of forum to bring community leaders together is valuable. Understanding the needs of the audience in terms of dates and time to meet is very important if you want participants. The primary feedback from participants in terms of what could be improved was to increase the amount of time for groups to have dialogue and consider next steps on improving health of youth.
