Color Me Healthy Wins National Award
Color Me Healthy is the recipient of the 2005 Nemours Vision Award for Excellence in Child Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. The Nemours Vision Award recognizes the work of one U.S. community organization or government agency from outside of Delaware that have developed visionary and effective programs for children and their families. The award was presented to Dr. Carolyn Dunn with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and Cathy Thomas with the North Carolina Division of Public Health, co-authors of Color Me Healthy. Debbie Chang, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Nemours Health and Prevention Services presented the award at an awards ceremony in Wilmington, Delaware on December 9, 2005. Color Me Healthy received a crystal statue and $5,000 to be used for the program in the coming year.
What is Color Me Healthy?
Color Me Healthy is a program developed to reach children ages four and five with fun, interactive learning opportunities on physical activity and healthy eating. It is stimulates all of the senses of young children: touch, smell, sight, sound, and, of course, taste. Through the use of color, music, and exploration of the senses, Color Me Healthy teaches children that healthy food and physical activity are fun. A Color Me Healthy kit includes a Teacher's Guide, 4 sets of picture cards, 3 classroom posters, 2 parent posters, CD and cassette tape with 7 original songs, hand stamp, and 14 reproducible parent newsletters. Classroom posters, parent posters, picture cards, and parent newsletters are available in Spanish.
Family and Consumer Science Agents with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and their county partners (Health Promotion Coordinator with the local health department, WIC personnel, or 4-H Agent) provide a comprehensive training for childcare providers that teaches creative and effective ways to use the program. To date, over 6,000 child care providers have been trained in North Carolina. Color Me Healthy is being used in 40 states across the nation.
Color Me Healthy is a partnership between the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and the North Carolina Division of Public Health. Color Me Healthy is in support of Eat Smart, Move More...North Carolina. For more information about Color Me Healthy visit our website at www.colormehealthy.com.