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SALT LAKE CITY — School's along the Wasatch Front are turning to actors for a creative approach to teaching students about building healthy habits.
Sports, singing, dancing and comedy; it's all the perfect combination for a very lively school assembly. "They don't realize that the information is seeping in just because of how the script is written, and they're having a great time too," said actor Alicia Washington.
The actors are trying to convey that it's cool to be active and healthy. In just 50 minutes, the actors hit on eight habits involving activity, food, sleep and mental wellness. But keeping up with this group is not easy. They perform twice a day for three weeks from Logan to Orem.
"It doesn't feel like a job, because the energy of the children just takes it to a new place," said Washington.
Their performance at Twin Peaks Elementary in Salt Lake is getting nothing but good reviews from students and administrators. Ten-year-old Glory Daines said, "I thought it was pretty funny, and I liked it a lot, especially the music parts. And now I have the song stuck in my head from it."
"I really liked it," said 11-year-old Jacob Smith. "It was fun and exciting."
Principal Julie Lorentzon said, "I thought they did a great job of bringing those things to a level kids would laugh at and understand."
Twin Peaks teachers will take this information and add it to their physical education and health curriculums. The hope is the program helps students gain a good foundation for building healthy habits for the rest of their lives.
Washington said, "The kids take this home, and it just comes pervasive throughout their family, where it's like let's try to eat together as a family or let's go on a hike."
For more information about the LiVe Well school assemblies go to https://intermountainhealthcare.org/live-well/for-teachers/school-assemblies/.
