Generation With Promise: School and student health transformation – an emerging model

Background: A priority of the Michigan Surgeon General's Prescription for a Healthier Michigan was to arrest childhood obesity by promoting healthy lifestyles. Consequently a framework linking the theory-driven Michigan Steps Up healthy-lifestyles initiative with the Governor's Cities of Promise initiative was launched.

Purpose: This first-of-five papers submitted for the Generation With Promise (GWP) Symposium highlights the emerging GWP Model centered on a framework to empower adult-supported youth to drive policy, environmental and student health behavior change in schools.

Significance: Traditionally, the contribution of youth as promising leaders has been underestimated; therefore, addressing youth-driven policy, environmental and behavioral change concurrently through a multifaceted approach is novel. The GWP Model is a potentially effective and sustainable way of reversing youth obesity trends through changed policies & school environments, and education that supports healthy choices.

Methodology: Utilizing the diffusion of innovations theory and involving public/private partners, collaboration occurred across four intervention components (curricular reform, youth leadership development, school health policy evaluation, family education) that empowered students to drive health transformation in their schools.

Findings: The emerging Model (connecting four complimentary theoretical components) was sufficient to engage 17 schools in 5 underserved Michigan communities, impacting 10,000+ students to effect change. The Model was developed based on results, lessons learned, and input from school administrators, staff and student leaders in communities with health disparities.

Conclusions: For childhood obesity to be effectively addressed, we must develop, implement, evaluate and refine comprehensive, multi-component school health models such as GWP that can be replicated within and across states.