Healthier middle schools: Everyone can help

The development and implementation of successful local school wellness policies calls for a team approach, involving school staff, parents and students. Healthier Middle Schools: Everyone Can Help consists of communication tools that school wellness champions can use to mobilize the middle school community to improve food and physical activity choices at school. The tools include a short (1.5 to 3 minute) video and handout customized for each audience: principals, school food service managers, teachers, parents and students. Focus group research guided the development of motivational messaging and realistic strategies and additional evaluative focus groups generated feedback on the draft tools. The videos utilize a mix of live action, animation, and original art to engage audiences and enhance recall of the information presented. The tools for adults present the importance of healthy eating patterns and physical activity in relation to academic performance and, for parents, acknowledge middle school as a transitional period for children. The videos and handouts “ask” audiences to implement strategies perceived to be in their “sphere of control” (e.g., fundraisers for parents), while giving specific examples for collaborations with others in the school community. Evaluative focus groups emphasized the need to use colors, illustrations, actors and animation techniques that reflected tweens' maturity and sophistication, while still being fun and engaging. Focus group participants felt that short videos shown at staff trainings, back-to-school nights and parent organization meetings were an ideal way to introduce the topic and encourage additional follow-up based upon the take-home handout or a post-video discussion.