Visit the AMA-MSS Region V website at www.region5ama.com  

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind  

What is Healthy Body and Mind? Region 5 will be leading a region-wide community service project called Healthy Body and Mind. The campaign targets elementary school children living in urban and rural areas who are at highest risk of developing obesity and dropping out of school. In 2012, the CDC found that more than a third of children in the US were overweigh or obese. Furthermore a study by America’s Promise Alliance found that compared to a 71% high school graduation rate in the suburbs, children from the nation’s 50 largest cities had a graduation rate of 53%. Our goal is to forge a longitudinal relationship with a class of students in a local elementary school to promote healthy living through various topics over the course of several months. Children will also be encouraged to maintain their involvement between visits by setting a goal for the number of books they will read by the end of the program. At the end of the program, the class will total the number of books read and each AMA chapter will provide the school library with 3 times the number of books the children read. This way our impact on the school can remain long after this year’s project is over.

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Sample Visit Themes:

1. Bullying (physical, verbal, cyber) 2. Importance of volunteering (school or community beautification project with the kids 3. Healthy eating (balanced diet, cooking with children) 4. Substance abuse (drugs, alcohol, smoking and their effects) 5. Exercise 6. Hygiene

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Why should my chapter participate? To make a difference: To make this project a success we need widespread involvement. By spending time with the elementary school children you get a chance to make an immediate impact in your own community. Your involvement in Healthy Body and Mind will help promote AMA’s mission “to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health”. By forging a longitudinal relationship with the students, we are more likely to provide them with long lasting knowledge and create a genuine and caring relationship that some may not be experiencing from home.

Visit the AMA-MSS Region V website at www.region5ama.com  

Region 5 Competition: Your chapter’s involvement in the program will lead to points toward the general Region 5 competition:

• Each visit to the school: 50 points • Participation per visit: +3 point/participant • Involvement of a public figure/specialist/physician during visit: 30 points

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How can my chapter get involved? The Region 5 Community Service Chair will work with you forge a partnership with a school, aide you with finding funding sources, and help you with curriculum ideas for each school visit. Please contact us ASAP so we can begin the planning process

• Region 5 Executive Board: region5board@gmail.com • Region 5 Community Service Chair, Adriana Coleska: acoleska@med.umich.edu

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Timeline:

• Contact Region 5 Executive Board (region5board@gmail.com) or the Region 5 Community Service Chair directly (acoleska@med.umich.edu) to confirm involvement

• Match with a local elementary school class by October 3rd • First Elementary school visit week of November 3rd

o Visit schools once or twice a month (depending on school arrangement) o Visits end week of February 2nd

• AMA chapter donates books to school by February 27th      

   

Get involved, make a difference!