Ticker Tom Valentine Day School Program launched

Julie Bettney, Minister of Health and Community Services, and Dr. Catherine Donovan, Principal Investigator, Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program, today launched the Ticker Tom Valentine Activity with Grade four students at Newtown Elementary in Mount Pearl. Usually offered across the province in summer recreation programs, the Ticker Tom Heart Health Program has been modified to incorporate the cat�s healthy lifestyle messages into the students� Valentine Day celebrations.

"We receive numerous requests from schools across the province wanting to bring the Ticker Tom Heart Health Program into the classroom setting," said Minister Bettney. "The modified Ticker Tom Valentine Activity fits well with the Grade four school health curriculum outcomes and is endorsed by the Department of Education."

The Ticker Tom Heart Health Program is a fun and interactive health promotion program aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle messages to children and youth aged 6-12. The program uses a cartoon cat, Ticker Tom, to deliver three healthy living messages: eat healthy, be active, and stay smoke-free. "Over the past two summers, the Regional Heart Health Coalitions have trained 206 recreation leaders to deliver the Ticker Tom Heart Health Program, with over 2,500 children having participated," said Dr. Donovan. "The program is a great success."

The Ticker Tom Valentine Activity provides all Grade four teachers throughout Newfoundland and Labrador with a Valentine theme lesson plan, Valentine activity sheets, and a supply of Ticker Tom Valentines for students to share the healthy lifestyle messages with their classmates, friends, and families.

"This health promotion activity reinforces the importance of providing our children with the healthy living messages that will hopefully last a lifetime," said Minister Bettney. "The earlier we adopt healthy living practices, the healthier our population will be."

The program is a joint initiative of the Newfoundland and Labrador Heart Health Program and the Teen Tobacco Team.

Media contact: Carmel Turpin, Communications, (709) 729-1377.

2002 02 12                            2:10 p.m.