Lights, Camera, We Can!^® at Inlet View Elementary School in Anchorage, Alaska

Posted November 10, 2011

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a video really brings good things to life! Inlet View Elementary School, inspired by their participation in the October 2010 Alaska We Can! training, partnered with two local organizations, Alaska Center for Pediatrics and Anchorage Lutheran Church, to bring a multi-age, educational experience to their community using We Can! messages at local events. They even made a video about their great program!

Inlet View Elementary School held four community-focused events on weekday evenings and began by serving the participants a nutritious meal. Then participants split into groups based on age. The younger participants learned tips for healthy eating and played age-appropriate, active games from CATCH one of the We Can! youth curricula. These sessions were led by University of Alaska physical education majors and local high school students. The program has made a difference, according to some of the participants. One young girl said, "Being a part of this program has made me want to go bike riding more and exercise more than I have been."

Nurse practitioners led sessions for middle school and high school students that focused primarily on weight control. Finally, the parent group participated in instructional sessions led by local healthcare providers. The providers used the We Can! Parent Program curriculum to discuss the risk factors for obesity, portion control, and tips for eating less processed foods. The program embraced We Can!'s core messages and stressed the importance of the parents being leaders and role models for their children.

"This was Inlet View Elementary's first We Can! event and it was very well received by the participants," said Kim Beckett, Inlet View Elementary Nurse. "We think this is something that other community sites, particularly other schools, can make work in their communities."

Inlet View Elementary is planning another event this fall with more volunteers, giveaways, instructional sessions, activities, and participants.

Check out the video below. We hope this inspires you to make a video of your own We Can! activities!

Note: Screen reader users should disregard the embedded instructions in the player and use this short instruction guide.

Participants in Inlet View Elementary School's We Can! events discuss the program and what they learned.