April 22 – 26 is Every Kid Healthy Week, an annual celebration of school health and wellness achievements founded by the nonprofit Action for Healthy Kids.

Children’s health is an area Aultman Health Foundation focuses on, having partnered with area schools for more than a decade to improve the overall health and well-being of students. Here are five facts about the Aultman Ambassador Program (AAP), a youth-led program that reaches beyond hospital walls to impact students and staff at local schools.

When was AAP founded?

AAP was founded in 2012 with the goal of making greater Stark County-area schools the healthiest in Ohio by 2032. The program empowers high school students to become “ambassadors” and engage with their peers, families and communities to promote sustainable, healthy lifestyle changes. Students at each school are led by an advisor, who works with main office AAP staff and coordinates activities.

What are the five principles of AAP?

Ambassadors focus their programming on five key areas:

• Physical activity.
• Hydration.
• Stress.
• Nutrition.
• Sleep.

Focus areas have been developed using resources, tools and framework from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model and the Ohio Adult Allies program.

Which schools does AAP partner with?

AAP is at 16 high schools and two middle schools in three counties (Stark, Mahoning and Wayne) for a total of 18 schools.

This year, AAP is partnering with the Hall of Fame Race Series to increase funding to the program. Funding allows the AAP to expand to more schools in more counties, increase assistance for school projects and provide extra opportunities for students.

What are examples of AAP projects?

Ambassadors can make healthy changes at their schools, thanks to grants and educational support from AAP. Some recent projects include:

• Water bottle filling stations.
• Vending machine snack changeover to at least 50% healthy snacks.
• Under-the-desk bikes.
• Standup desks.
• A courtyard of calm.

What are the benefits of joining AAP?

Students provide ideas to school staff to increase overall wellness. Students who actively participate as an ambassador in their school’s program at any grade level are eligible for scholarships up to $1,000. AAP provides community volunteerism opportunities, learning opportunities and leadership opportunities for students.

Schools gain a group of students invested in identifying growth opportunities and increasing the health of the student body and staff. Schools can see students identifying opportunities, creating a project plan, implementing the project and eventually evaluating the project’s impact on the student body. Schools receive funding from the AAP to provide materials for the student-led project.