From my earliest memories of school, I always longed for those brief moments when I could move around. Whether it was playing a new game in my physical education class or breathing in fresh air during recess, I felt connected to movement and play. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy learning; in fact, it was quite the opposite. While some of those early learning environments may have been designed to reduce noise and distractions, they also adversely affected opportunities for deeper connection and discovery. I remember a teacher in those early grades who tied our recess and outdoor free time to classroom behavior inside. If we were unfortunate enough to have disrupted class enough times, the consequence was losing that valuable outside play time. Even in those early years, there seemed to be something off about taking time away from physical activity. Don’t kids need to move every day? Don’t teachers need to move to stay healthy?
For those who work in education, the demands of the profession and the complexities of the systems at play can detract from the simple truths that shape our daily experiences. We have overwhelming evidence that healthier children are better learners, and that movement doesn’t detract from learning; it enhances it. We also know that schools that design healthier systems and supports for staff feel more connected and foster a shared ownership of creating a positive school culture.
For over a decade, I have worked to improve school environments across South Carolina. As a physical educator, I worked relentlessly to show up in ways that were impactful for my school communities. Whether it was before- or after-school programming, leading staff wellness initiatives, mentorship, or engaging families in play, I wanted the physical literacy I was promoting in my classroom to thrive beyond the gymnasium doors. While I was proud of the projects and their impact, creating and administering multiple school wellness initiatives took a toll on me, both physically and emotionally.
After completing my Master’s in Public Health at the University of South Carolina in 2021, I was offered the opportunity to apply my field experience in a position with the national nonprofit Alliance for a Healthier Generation. This position was funded by the BlueCross BlueShield South Carolina Foundation and involved recruiting and supporting districts in participating in a statewide school health and wellness initiative called Diabetes Free SC. Our aim was to provide programmatic support and technical assistance to districts and schools as they worked through a continuous-improvement lens to create policies, systems, and environmental changes that ultimately help reduce the risk of chronic disease.
In the nearly five years since my initiation into statewide work, I have encountered a myriad of challenges, opportunities, threats, and possibilities that make up what school and district wellness can look like. However, one theme that might be most relevant to all schools and settings, regardless of their level of readiness to engage, is this: sometimes the greatest intervention is a relationship. The constraints districts and schools face are complex and difficult, and the risk that any change will be labeled “one extra thing” is real, even for something as intuitive as health and wellness. That is why it is so essential to build a community of practice, so that collective impact can be shared, celebrated, and enhanced. That is what separates achieving compliance from building culture: narratives surrounding healthier school environments are no longer rooted in what school is but are anchored in the hope of what schools can be.
A perfect example of the power of relationships in building healthier school systems and environments can be found in the Union County School District. When I began my work at Union for Diabetes Free SC, I worked to establish relationships with district personnel who could help me arrange professional learning and technical assistance training for school personnel on state compliance and district requirements. Relationships with school and district staff continued to grow, and with the addition of a new district wellness coordinator and new nutritional director, the district was moving beyond compliance with state/federal requirements and exploring innovative ways to partner and enhance wellness culture throughout the district through policy and systems changes. Within a year, Union had partnered with the LiveHealthy Union Coalition to include community members on its Coordinated School Health Advisory Committee and began integrating coalition funding to support district wellness goals. Currently, the district is working in tandem with the local coalition to ensure alignment between the Community Health Improvement Plan and district wellness action goals, with deep, rewarding relationships between schools and communities cementing their projects in sustainability and shared ownership.
I share the story of Union and other districts from the Diabetes Free SC School Wellness Initiative network to highlight what is possible when people, passion, and resources come together. Schools can create a sustainable model for community health, but the key is starting the journey. For far too long, our schools and community organizations have remained siloed and separated. For the sake of the health and longevity of students, staff, and families in South Carolina, we should all commit to building bridges to new connections and champions who will help us create the lasting impact we want to see. If not us, who? If not now, when?