Province to host first Healthy Schools Student Summit

John Ottenheimer, Minister of Health and Community Services, and Tom Hedderson, Minister of Education, today announced that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will host the first Healthy Schools Student Summit from September 22-24 at the Battery Hotel in St. John�s. Approximately 120 students from grades 7-12 from across the province will join school personnel and related organizations in learning and sharing information on healthy living issues and initiatives within the school community, including healthy eating, active living and being smoke-free.

�The Healthy Schools Student Summit is an important initiative in helping to educate, learn from and engage our province�s youth on the benefits of living an active and healthy lifestyle,� said Minister Ottenheimer. �These students represent the future of our province and are role models in their schools and communities. Their involvement is essential to helping us understand how to effectively promote the benefits of healthy living to youth across the province. It is our hope they will take the concepts learned from the summit and bring them back into their communities, schools and families and take a leadership role in promoting the benefits of eating healthy, staying active and being smoke free.�

Opening ceremonies are scheduled to take place at 7:45 p.m. this evening (September 22) at which time both Minister Ottenheimer and Minister Hedderson will talk with students about healthy lifestyle choices.

�In the coming days, staff from the Department of Education, and from the Department of Health and Community Services, will listen to ideas about how to best make our schools places where students can lead active, healthy lives,� said Minister Hedderson. �Yes, we are investing $1.4 million in physical education equipment for schools, but we recognize that being healthy involves more than simply exercising. It is our hope that these workshops and exchange of ideas will further our goal of encouraging all students to promote physical well-being.�

Objectives of the summit are to provide information on healthy eating and physical activity, as well as to share healthy living issues and discuss feedback and successes to date on the Healthy Students, Healthy Schools initiative. As ambassadors for their schools, the students will help move the healthy schools initiative forward within their school, peer groups and community. The Healthy Schools Student Summit is a project within the Healthy Students, Healthy Schools initiative funded by the Department of Health and Community Services in partnership with the Department of Education.

Government�s support of the Healthy Schools Student Summit is reflective of its continued commitment to the health and well-being of our province�s children and youth. On Wednesday, government provided $225,000 to the Canadian Tire JumpStart Program to support the participation of 1,000 youth from low-income families in sport and recreation activities.

Budget 2005 included a $2.4 million to support a wellness strategy which focuses on communities and populations for the prevention of disease, promotion of health and protection of the public. Government�s wellness strategy will complement the on-going work of community organizations and six regional wellness coalitions and concentrate on improving healthy eating, reducing obesity, reducing smoking rates, reducing injury rates and increasing physical activity.

Media contact:
   Tansy Mundon, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377, 685-1741
   Alex Marland, Education, (709) 729-0048, 690-6047

2005 09 22                                             9:20 a.m.