CMS Counselor Amy McGowan, checking student blood pressure
CMS Teacher, Donnie Yates, checking student weight
Representative from TeleMed demonstrating diagnostic equipment
YMCA giving Zumba lessons
Cross Fit demonstration
The Clayful Artist demonstration
Cleveland Middle School held its first annual health fair, Healthy Students, Healthy School, on Friday. The health fair had a two-fold purpose:
- To provide health screenings for the students, and
- To educate students about the health services that are available to them and their families in the community.
Tennessee requires that all sixth grade and eighth grade students receive the following health screenings: height, weight, blood pressure, BMI, vision, hearing, and scoliosis (sixth grade only). All screenings were provided that day by CMS school nurses, Cleveland State Community College nursing students, Cleveland High School Heath Science Education students, and CMS faculty.
Students were on an activity schedule and followed a rotation which allowed them to be screened and to visit the community agency booths that were set up in the CMS gym.
28 agencies participated in the health fair. Students not only learned about the services provided by the agencies, but they also had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities provided by the agencies. These activities included, Zumba, hooping, anger management, cross fit, painting ceramics, trying on equipment from the fire department, and many others. They also received handouts and brochures to take home to their parents about health-related services provided by the agencies.
The participating agencies were complimentary of the CMS students and their interest in becoming healthier. Stephanie Pirkle, CMS assistant principal, and coordinator of the event said, “Our CMS faculty and staff did an outstanding job helping with the event. I greatly appreciate their willingness to serve our students in this capacity.”
The day was deemed a huge success in that approximately 800 students received health screenings, and all CMS students benefitted from visiting the various booths at the health fair. Mike Collier, CMS principal, said, “It was an amazing day all around. Our sixth and eighth graders received their necessary screenings, and all of our students were able to participate in the health fair. I appreciate our community health agencies and volunteers for taking their time to screen our students and educate them about health-related issues.”
The participating agencies were:
The American Red Cross
Behavioral Research Institute
The Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland
Bradford Healthcare Services
Bradley County Health Department
Bradley County Juvenile Court
Camelot Care Center
Centerstone
CHI Memorial Convenient Care Cleveland
Cleveland City Schools Nutrition Department
Cleveland City Schools Coordinated School Health
Cleveland Fire Department
Cleveland Police Department
Cross Fit Live Loud
Family Cornerstones
Family Promise
Family Resource Agency
Hiwassee Mental Health Center
Mental Health Cooperative
Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
Tennder Care
Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network
10th Judicial District Drug Task Force
The Clayful Artist
UT Extension Program
YMCA
Youth Counseling Services
Youth Villages