Healthy Schools and Communities aims to create a healthier future for the youth of St. Maarten.
PHILIPSBURG--EGO Foundation, in partnership with American University of the Caribbean (AUC) School of Medicine, with support from government and funding from Resources for Community Resilience R4CR, is launching a series of activities entitled “Healthy Schools and Communities.”
This initiative aims to create a healthier future for the youth of St. Maarten by encouraging exercise and developing data-based health programmes, according to a press release.
The “Healthy Schools and Communities” project, created by EGO Foundation, aims to encourage children to move more and lead healthier lives before, during, and after school by creating appropriate play and exercise spaces, promoting healthy habits, and collecting valuable data on children's health in St. Maarten. Since its launch last year, the project has already made a significant impact on schools and communities.
The strength of the project lies in the collaboration of different partners. EGO Foundation is leading the initiative, while students from AUC are helping to administer the BLOC tests, a physical test that measures children’s movement skills. The St. Maarten government, particularly the Public Education Division and the Department of Sports, fully supports the project and sees the importance of the data-based approach.
Department Head Jonella Richardson said the department previously benefited from the sport and health data collected through the 2022 census. She said, “The data collected through this programme will assist in assessing the functioning levels of our students, which will aid their development in the schools.”
“R4CR plays a crucial role by providing the necessary funding, and JOGG Netherlands (Gezonde Jeugd, Gezonde toekomst) contributes by sponsoring part of the testing. JOGG Netherlands is an organisation building a local, national and international network to make the environments of children and youth healthier.
Jacob Mar, an AUC student involved in the project, shared his excitement, saying, “We are both ecstatic and honoured to be a part of designing and implementing these programmes aimed at improving the physical health of St. Maarten’s school-age youth. As medical students, having the unique opportunity to address our community’s physical health in a creative, pragmatic, and ultimately enjoyable manner is something we take great pride in.
“For us, it is the chance to use our education to cultivate an enduring lifestyle centred on physical fitness. In other words, these projects were platforms that unified our vastly different backgrounds and experiences and gave us a reverent means to do true good for the community at large.
“We are also excited and sincerely grateful to be engaging with our community partners helping us to bring these ambitious goals of ours to fruition. It was a pleasure being able to coordinate with the multitude of AUC professors, healthcare experts, heads of non-profit organizations, and all manner of handymen to ensure our programmes were the best versions of themselves they could possibly be. In the end, we hope that the youth and adults of St. Maarten will benefit from our vision to forge a healthier, fitter, and more connected future."
Until recently, there were hardly any data available on the physical health of children on St. Maarten. With the introduction of the BLOC test and the Child Monitor, a Lifestyle Intervention Survey, the organisations are now getting a clear picture of youth health for the first time. This
data not only provides important insights for policymakers but also helps schools and communities make targeted choices for a healthier future.
BLOC tests will be administered in five public schools October 15-29, testing more than 800 children. This implementation will be supervised by AUC students, who will contribute to the community through their efforts. The group of students involved in last year’s test-taking at the schools of Foundation Catholic Education St. Maarten has developed three innovative projects based on the data generated and will implement them this year. These projects are aimed at encouraging exercise and healthy habits in children.
The first project, the “YouTube Gym,” inspired by Japanese radio gymnastics, engages St. Maarten teachers, students, and role models in exercise and dance videos. Video recording took place last Friday and Saturday to bring this project to life. On Friday, local teachers were filmed participating in various exercises, while Saturday featured recordings on the campus of American University of the Caribbean with special guest King James. These videos include exercise tasks and short clips promoting healthy eating and drinking water.
AUC Associate Professor of Psychology Natalie Humphrey emphasised the importance of early health education, saying, “The American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine is honoured to support this initiative promoting the health and well-being of children in St. Maarten. Good health starts with healthy habits formed in childhood, and we believe that parents, schools and teachers in St. Maarten share this vital value.”
In addition to these recordings, an adventure hike along the Fleming Trail will be organised, where children can complete various tasks via QR codes. Finally, the Simpson Bay after-school programme at Sister Regina School will be modified to focus structurally more on healthy eating, exercise, and play. These projects are not only fun and interactive, but also aimed at sustainably promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Project Leader for Healthy Schools and Communities Juriaan Otto shared his long-term vision: “The Healthy Schools and Communities project is not just about today; it’s about creating lasting, sustainable change for the youth of St. Maarten. Through data-based programmes, we can make informed decisions that will improve the well-being of our children.”
The project’s ambitions go beyond this month. The ultimate goal is to bring lasting change to St. Maarten, with children regularly on the move and schools and communities actively contributing to healthier lifestyles. By the end of the year, the Simpson Bay after-school programme at Sister Regina School will also be modified to focus more on healthy eating, exercise, and play.
The Healthy Schools and Communities project emphasises the importance of working together to promote youth health. With the commitment of AUC, the government, R4CR, and other partners, EGO Foundation is taking a big step toward a healthier St. Maarten, where children have the space to play, exercise, and grow up healthy, according to the release.
