BLUE ZONES PROJECT ® – Klamath Falls Presents Blueprint For Schools At Klamath Promise Steering Committee Meeting
At the February 20 meeting of the Klamath Promise Steering Committee, Jessie Hecocta, Relationship Manager for Blue Zones Project ® unveiled portions of the 2019- 2021 Blueprint focusing on initiatives directly tied to our local schools. She took the opportunity to highlight the ways in which
Blue Zones Project aims to create an environment that promotes the health and well-being of students and staff so they are engaged and empowered to achieve learning outcomes. The work outlined included goals to reduce sugar intake by students for all school meals and provide a minimum of 90 minutes of P.E. in both districts.
Currently, the Klamath County School District offers between 90 -120 minutes per week, provided by full-time physical education specialists, while the Klamath Falls City Schools provides 60 minutes per week in partnership with the YMCA. Additionally, the Blue Zones Project Schools Committee will focus on implementing projects within the “Safe Routes to School Master Plan”, and implement a student-driven wellness education team in area high schools.
A planning session hosted on January 9 led to the development of the new school objectives included representatives from both school districts, parents, students, and supporting organizations. Much of the initiatives were informed by the Blue Zones Project National Team recommendations as well as the local
Community Food Assessment.
The Blue Zones Project Blueprint encompasses all sector work; including Food Policy, Tobacco Policy, Built Environment, Schools, Worksites, Restaurants, Grocery Stores, and Community Engagement. Each of the goals and objectives outlined in the document are informed by data gathered through the Gallup- ShareCare Wellbeing Index, various community surveys, Blue Zones Project National Team recommendations, and most importantly, members of the community who represent the interests of each sector. If you are interested in learning more about the Blueprint, please reach out to Blue Zones Project – Klamath Falls at 541-359-2802 or BlueZonesProject@healthyklamath.org.
About Blue Zones Project in Oregon
Blue Zones Project is brought to Oregon through leadership funding by Cambia Health Foundation to support Oregon Healthiest State, in collaboration with Healthways, Inc. and Blue Zones, LLC. Sky Lakes Medical Center, a community champion, answered Cambia’s funding match to support the Blue Zones
Project initiative in Klamath Falls.
Klamath Falls is Oregon’s first Blue Zones Project Demonstration Community. To learn more about the Blue Zones Project, contact the Blue Zones Project team in Klamath Falls at BlueZonesProject@healthyklamath.org or visit www.healthyklamath.org/tiles/bluezones.
https://oregon.bluezonesproject.com/
About Blue Zones Project
Blue Zones Project ® is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Established in 2010, Blue Zones Project is inspired by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five regions of the world—or Blue Zones ® —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, 42 communities in nine states have joined the Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 3.3 million Americans nationwide. The movement includes three beach cities in California; 15 cities in Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; the city of Fort Worth; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Blue Zones Project is a division of Sharecare. For more information, visit Bluezonesproject.com.
About the Klamath Promise
The Klamath Promise is a broad community partnership promoting success through education for Klamath County young people from birth through college or career. Partners include Klamath County School District, Klamath Falls City Schools, private K-12 schools, Klamath Community College, Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath County government (e.g. Board of Commissioners, Public Health, Community Corrections, Library Service District), the City of Klamath Falls, businesses (e.g. Herald and News, Holliday Jewelry, Cascade Health Alliance, Windemere Real Estate), nonprofit organizations (e.g. Blue Zones Project, Friends of the Children, Citizens for Safe Schools), Sky Lakes Medical Center Foundation, and private individuals. For more information contact anne@ahccon.com or visit klamathpromise.org