Healthy LEAP Program Making Health Education Accessible For All Students

Schools across Texas are utilizing Special Olympics’ Healthy LEAP programming to teach students about living healthy lifestyles

January 24, 2020 | Updated: January 28, 2020

Over 50 Texas schools have taken the leap-- the Healthy LEAP, that is-- committing to teaching students of all ages about living a healthy lifestyle. Healthy LEAP (Lifestyle Education and Practice) is a series of health, nutrition, fitness, safety and injury prevention lessons and practical applications created specifically for youth and adults with and without intellectual disabilities.

Typically taught as 8-10 week courses, weekly lessons include:

• Healthy Eating
• Healthy Weight and Obesity
• Behavior and Stress Management
• Bone Health
• Sports Nutrition and Hydration
• Exercise and Injury Prevention
• Sun Safety
• Personal Hygiene
• Prevention of Alcohol and Tobacco Use (only when age appropriate)

Training for facilitators and curriculum are provided by Special Olympics Texas, along with activities, ideas for adaptation, and incentives for increasing student participation. With the resources available, this program is truly able to be seamlessly implemented on any campus!

The beauty of Healthy LEAP is that it includes benefits for both the students involved AND the school community as a whole! At the student-level, schools see improvements in health and wellness, increased inclusion and fewer social barriers, increased peer to peer accountability, and even free health screenings in certain areas. On a larger, community-level, schools see lower rates of bullying along with increased social inclusion, receive access to a curriculum recognized by the United Nations, and incentives and training from Special Olympics Texas! 

Schools interested in learning more or implementing Healthy LEAP programming can contact Keara Uhl, SOTX Health Initiatives Manager, at kuhl@sotx.org or by phone at (210) 530-9898.