Let’s Go! awards sites for keeping kids healthy
Six area schools, after-school and child care programs and one healthcare practice in central Aroostook were among those honored recently for their commitment to creating healthy environments for the children they serve.
Contributed photo
PROMOTING CHILDREN’S HEALTH — Aroostook County Action Program, Healthy Aroostook and Let’s Go! staff celebrate with Let’s Go! Aroostook sites of distinction. From left are, front row, Susan Sewell, of Susan Sewell’s Day Care, Houlton; Lisa Bernier, Dr. Levesque Elementary School, Frenchville; and JoAnne O’Leary, Fish River Rural Health and school nurse for Wallagrass and Eagle Lake elementary schools. Back row, Eva Greenthal and Reegan Brown, Let’s Go! home office, Portland; Jason Parent, ACAP; Jessica Bondeson, ACAP Early Care and Education Centers, Houlton and Mars Hill; Sharon Jackson, A Child’s World Day Care, Easton; Dr. Rosalinda Maraya, Houlton Pediatrics; Lori Nichols, RN, Houlton Pediatrics; Lynne Pelletier, RN, Fish River Rural Health; Colette Thompson, Let’s Go! Aroostook; Carol Bell, ACAP/Healthy Aroostook; and Shannon Kornachuk, Power of Prevention/Cary Medical Center.
Let’s Go! 5-2-1-0 announced that 23 sites in Aroostook County were recognized as Sites of Distinction for introducing or sustaining healthy changes in collaboration with the Let’s Go! program, positively influencing the choices children make.
Let’s Go! Aroostook, a program of the Aroostook County Action Program, presented the sites with certificates during a ceremony at Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle.
Honorees from the local area included A Child’s World Day Care of Easton, who received the Bronze level recognition; ACAP Early Care and Education Centers in Caribou and Presque Isle, Silver; ACAP Head Start of Mars Hill, Silver; Ashland District School 21st CCLC, Silver; and Aroostook Pediatrics, Distinguished.
“This is the fourth year we’ve officially recognized sites for their hard work. I couldn’t be more proud of the progress these sites have made. Sites are providing healthy, high energy snack choices, finding fun, creative ways to increase activity levels, and many have completely removed televisions from their spaces,” said Dr. Victoria Rogers, Director of the Let’s Go! program. “Thanks to changes like these, we’re seeing Maine’s childhood obesity rates level off.
” Established in 2012, the Let’s Go! Recognition Program identifies and celebrates schools, out-of-school or after-school programs, child-care programs and healthcare practices for their commitment to improving the health of all children.
“While Let’s Go! strives for policy change, we recognize three levels of change that occur on that journey,” said Rogers. “Bronze reflects a site implementing the program’s five priority strategies; Silver acknowledges a site that has communicated these changes to parents and family members; and Gold, the highest level of recognition, is reserved for sites that have written all five priority strategies into policy. A total of 460 sites are being recognized this year, a 25 percent increase from 2014.
”Let’s Go! Aroostook, a program of Aroostook County Action Program, Inc. (ACAP), is extremely proud of this year’s sites of distinction. “Each site has worked hard this past year to ensure children in their programs are provided healthy options and activities,” explained Colette Thompson, Let’s Go! Aroostook program coordinator. “In addition, all of the recognized sites have begun or are in the process of writing those initiatives into policy to ensure the continuation of healthy practices.
” Let’s Go!’s five priority strategies are as follows: 1) Limit unhealthy choices for snacks and celebrations and provide healthy choices; 2) Limit or eliminate sugary beverages and provide water; 3) Prohibit the use of food as a reward; 4) Provide opportunities for children to get physical activity every day; and 5) Limit recreational screen time.Healthcare sites are recognized for three practice-specific obesity prevention program components: Providing consistent 5-2-1-0 messaging in offices, calculating BMI for all patients 2 and older; and using the 5-2-1-0 Healthy Habits Questionnaire to have a respectful conversation about lifestyles with their patients.
