Everyone knows how important a healthy lifestyle is, especially for our children. With this in mind, a committee was formed at RSU 73 by Jacqueline Kilbreth (school nurse) and Marrissa Hirsh (Livermore Falls native and UMF intern for Community Health Education) at Spruce Mountain Middle and High School.

The goal was to implement the 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! program amongst the students. Let’s Go! is a nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention program aimed at increasing physical activity and healthy eating for children and families.

With the assistance of the other committee members: Denise Acritelli, Jay Lindsey, Carol Hardy, Suzanne Cole, Dixie Bonnevie, and Dora Flagg-York and in partnership with the Healthy Community Coalition (HCC), Let’s Go! was introduced in a big way. A six-week trial was created by both Kilbreth and Hirsh to take the strategies of Let’s Go! and put them to life amongst the students.

A survey was conducted at SMMS during week one and week six to measure the students knowledge of 5-2-1-0 (five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, two hours of less of screen time, one hour of physical activity daily, and 0 sugar-sweetened beverages and fast foods) and the effectiveness of the varying actives provided weeks two through five. Many activities were conducted, such as a daily heath messages read during morning announcements by secretaries Julia Parker (SMMS) and Sally Boivin (SMHS), daily exercises during morning announcements at SMMS, weekly nutritious food taste testing at SMHS, weekly knowledge testers, and a Let’s Go! based play, all designed to show that Let’s Go! can be both informational and fun!

The week one results showed that only 15 percent of SMMS students had any knowledge about Let’s Go! and it’s strategies. The week six results showed a 60 percent increase with 75 percent of the students knowing Let’s Go! and it’s strategies! Showing that with dedication and hard work provided by faculty, families, and students themselves that positive change can happen and that a healthy future is indeed possible with the right tools.