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2017 Wellness Expo
Lincoln Daily News Wednesday, February 15, 2017
The CATCH program inspired the “Be
A Healthy MVP” theme to motivate
kids:
M - Move and Stay Active
V – Value Healthy Eating
P – Practice Healthy Habits
CATCH schools strive to be CATCH
MVP schools with CATCH MVP
students.
By enabling children to identify
healthy foods and increase their
amount of physical activity, the
national program has helped decrease
childhood obesity by 11 percent in
areas where the program is active.
“We chose to support CATCH
program to the ALMH service area
because we know it’s a program that
works,” said Angela Stoltzenburg,
ALMH marketing and community
partnerships manager. “But we
recognize that while we can provide
the classroom curriculum and support,
it is the individuals at our local
schools who are making real changes
and creating healthy environments for
the children in our community.”
By 2015, eight area schools were
designated CATCH schools, and now
during the 2016-17 school year, a total
of 13 schools in the ALMH service
area have signed onto participate.
New physical education equipment
and curriculum lessons are provided
to CATCH schools. ALMH provides
program training and empowers
staff to showcase and role model the
importance of a healthy lifestyle.
ALMH also provides taste testings
and facilitates lessons, participates in
family nights at the school and has
even promoted CATCH concessions
at local sporting events. And it’s
certainly catching on for Lincoln-area
students.
A survey showed 100 percent of
school staff reported students using
CATCH language. More than 90
percent of staff observed students
learning about healthier choices
regarding nutrition and activity
because of the CATCH program. And
100 percent of school staff says they
want to continue to “make the healthy
choice the easy choice” for students
and themselves.