Healthy Choices Week

December 2, 2010

Every year after Thanksgiving break, Every year after Thanksgiving break, Memphis City Schools hosts a week Memphis City Schools hosts a week dedicated to student health. dedicated to student health.

Healthy Choices Week includes the Healthy Choices Week includes the following days:following days:

November 29November 29thth: Healthy Neighborhoods Day: Healthy Neighborhoods Day November 30November 30thth: Drug Free Day: Drug Free Day December 1December 1stst: World AIDS Day: World AIDS Day December 2December 2ndnd: Healthy Relationships Day: Healthy Relationships Day December 3December 3rdrd : Healthy Weight Day : Healthy Weight Day

Relationships are…

…how we interact with our friends, family, and dating partners.

A relationship that is healthy…

…is one where everyone feels safe and respected.

…is one where other parts of our health (diet, exercise, sleep, etc) are affected in a positive way.

An unhealthy relationship…An unhealthy relationship…

……might make us want to avoid people, might make us want to avoid people, places, and situations.places, and situations.

……might make us not eat right, not exercise might make us not eat right, not exercise enough, not sleep enough, and not do well enough, not sleep enough, and not do well in school.in school.

An in-school survey was given to Memphis students in 2009. In it, students wrote about:

Fighting at schoolWeapons at schoolSexual intercourseFighting with dating partnersHow drug use affected dating

1 out of 5 high school students has 1 out of 5 high school students has been in a physical fight. been in a physical fight. What does this mean to me?What does this mean to me? Why is this unhealthy?Why is this unhealthy?

{Remember, unhealthy things {Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to avoid might make us want to avoid people, places, or situations and people, places, or situations and might make us not eat right, might make us not eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in exercise, sleep well, or do well in school.}school.}

What can I do to change this?What can I do to change this?

1 out of 50 high school students has brought a weapon 1 out of 50 high school students has brought a weapon to school. to school.

1 out of 11 students has been threatened or injured with 1 out of 11 students has been threatened or injured with a weapon.a weapon. What does this mean to me?What does this mean to me? Why is this unhealthy?Why is this unhealthy?

{Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to {Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to avoid people, places, or situations and might make us avoid people, places, or situations and might make us not eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in not eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in school.}school.}

What can I do to change this?What can I do to change this?

1 out of 3 high school students have had sexual intercourse. 1 out of 3 high school students have had sexual intercourse. What does this mean to me?What does this mean to me? Why is this unhealthy?Why is this unhealthy?

{Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to {Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to avoid people, places, or situations and might make us not avoid people, places, or situations and might make us not eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in school.}eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in school.}

What can I do to change this?What can I do to change this?

3 out of 25 high school students were hit, 3 out of 25 high school students were hit, slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by slapped, or physically hurt on purpose by their “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”. their “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”. What does this mean to me?What does this mean to me? Why is this unhealthy?Why is this unhealthy?

{Remember, unhealthy things might {Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to avoid people, places, make us want to avoid people, places, or situations and might make us not eat or situations and might make us not eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in school.}school.}

What can I do to change this?What can I do to change this?

3 out of 25 3 out of 25 sexually-active high school students drank sexually-active high school students drank alcohol or used drugs before the last time they had sex. alcohol or used drugs before the last time they had sex. What does this mean to me?What does this mean to me? Why is this unhealthy?Why is this unhealthy?

{Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to {Remember, unhealthy things might make us want to avoid people, places, or situations and might make us avoid people, places, or situations and might make us not eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in school.}not eat right, exercise, sleep well, or do well in school.}

What can I do to change this?What can I do to change this?