North Hawaii Community Hospital is looking to change the conversation from healing sickness to health prevention with a new nutrition and education outreach program that teaches North Hawaii students through a hands-on, holistic approach.
“Encouraging healthy living through a holistic approach is the foundation of our mission,” said Gary Goldberg, chief medical officer. “With the creation of this revolutionary new program, we are living our commitment to our community by providing tools and education that enable one to make healthy choices to live healthier lives.”
Over the last year, more than 100 North Hawaii students ages 5 to 13 participated in the hospital’s nutrition and education outreach program. Topics covered include: the various food groups, the effect food has on the body, that “you are what you eat,” how to read a food label, appropriate meal and snack portions, how food can help prevent diseases, in addition to engaging in hands-on food preparations.
“After learning about healthy nutrition, students get to go into the kitchen and prepare a snack putting into action what they just learned,” said Laurie Edmondson, the hospital’s community outreach coordinator, who developed and spearheads the program.
Working in collaboration with Kanu o ka Aina New Century Public Charter School, the hospital’s nutrition and education outreach pilot program was launched in spring 2014, teaching 15 students from sixth to eighth grade the relationship and impact nutrition has on leading a healthy life.
The program has grown into an eight-week after-school class and six- to eight-week summer school opportunity for keiki from first to sixth grade at the school and will soon expand tailored versions of this program at Waimea Country Day School and North Kohala Village Hub in Kohala. “We hope to continue to grow this program throughout all of North Hawaii,” said Edmondson.
For more information about the program, contact Edmondson at 881-4425 or laurie.edmondson@nhch.com.