"New leaders build bridges, establish free spaces where citizens can be supported as community change agents and problem solvers, and continuously foster the emergence of new leaders" (Yvonne Bynoe, Stand & Deliver)
What I am offering is an opportunity for young people to learn what it's like to champion health. Any young person that joins me will enjoy fun, food, and friends while learning key advocacy skills necessary for leadership. This will not be a journey down the road of oppression and despair but rather a chance to reevaluate our community and maximize the positive social determinants and add additional ones for future generations. I see opportunities for all the young people who join me to help build a world where every neighborhood has safe playgrounds, community garden space, corner stores supporting healthy diets, experiential culinary learning in schools, and more. Through proper advocacy education young people will learn how to demand more of themselves, their families, their communities, and beyond in a safe and respectful manner.
Before beginning this pitch, together with the young people, draw a quick map of the neighborhood. This map should include all "health sites" so any playgrounds, gardens, corner stores, bike lanes, etc.
Okay. So, we all know what we are up against: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. but what are we fighting for? What are you all fighting for? What would you like to see in your neighborhoods? I'll tell you what I'd like to see. In fact, I'd like to show you all what I'd like to see. I need everyone to, please, close their eyes.
Imagine we are standing outside of the school. Right out front in the street. Now I'm going to need you to really push your imagination because we are going to do some flying. Are you ready? Do some stretching in your mind. Bend your knees, stretch your arms, and stretch your back. Now crouch down and push up and start flying. 10 feet up, now 20 feet up, and finally 30 feet up. Just above your school. Now, at this height you can see for miles, right. But I want you to focus just on this neighborhood. So, someone without opening your eyes, tell me what you see directly in front of you. Can you see any where to exercise or purchase food?
Waiting for student to answer...
Now, we all need to turn our heads to the left. Let's make sure we are all on the same page. Raise your hand if you are still flying above the school? Raise your hand if you are looking to your left?
Someone please raise your hand and tell me what do you see to the left? Can you see any where to exercise or purchase food?
Continue until students have done an entire 360 degree turn in their heads and have recorded all health sites.
Now, we will be using our creativity to grade these sites. I need ___ volunteers (number dependent on number of sites recorded by students). Who would like to volunteer?
Take first volunteer and, based on the map, place them in a corresponding location in the room. Ask volunteer to freeze while we judge their health characteristics.
Now, using my food principles we are going to create a grade and dance/stance for our site volunteer. Okay so, The first food principle is: serve fresh foods. We want this done because the fresher the food, the better the nutrition. Does this food site serve fresh food? [Define fresh food]
Wait for students to answer...
So what grade would we give it? What kind of dance move can we create to show that this store has (a lot/some/no) fresh food.
Make clear to volunteer they will be using the dance moves to create a full dance.
The second food principle is: Don't sell more junk food than fresh food. So, does this site serve more fresh food or junk food?
Wait for students to answer...
So what grade would we give it? What kind of dance move can we add to the dance to show that this store has (more/less) junk food.
Add dance move to volunteer's dance.
The third principle is: Water is free. Because water is so essential to good health it must be free (use water info sheet if need be). Is water served free at this store?
Wait for students to answer...
So what grade would we give it? What kind of dance move can we add to the dance to show that this store does/doesn't serve water for free?
Add dance move to volunteer's dance.
Overall we have three dance moves to make up the whole dance and we need to grade the store overall. What kind of grade ought we give this store based on our healthy store values?
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