Alaska

Alaska is the largest and most sparsely populated state in the U.S. Tourists flock to its diverse landscapes of mountains, forests with an array of wildlife and picturesque small towns. Locals and visitors alike enjoy Alaska’s outdoor activities such as skiing, sledding, mountain biking and kayaking.

While the state offers many ways for residents to practice healthy lifestyle habits, it also faces a distressing health problem: Nearly one-third of its children are overweight or obese.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, thanks to support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is working with communities throughout the state to make it easier for kids to lead healthier lives.

Our Work in Alaska

In Alaska, we’re making it easier for kids to develop healthy habits.

Throughout the state, 137 schools serving more than 45,000 students across the state have joined Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, creating healthier school environments for children to thrive. Since 2007, five Alaska schools have been recognized with National Healthy Schools Awards for their outstanding efforts.

We’ve also made it easier for more than 1,700 youth in out-of-school time programs to eat right and move more through our Healthy Out-of-School Time Initiative.
 

Success Stories

Hear from a school champion from just one of the many schools and districts we work with in Alaska: Seward Middle School, enrolled in the Healthy Schools Program since 2008.

Alaska has plentiful wildlife to provide us with fresh fish and meat but getting fruits and vegetables year round is a challenge. The Healthy Schools Program gave us resources and the encouragement to provide fruits and vegetables not accessible to our kids because of environmental and financial barriers.

Yolanda Ifflander

School Nurse, Seward Middle School

Watch the video to learn more about how the Healthy Schools Program is helping kids lead healthier lives.