Featured Articles

Putting the Characteristics of Effective Health Education into Practice

HealthSmart developer Dr. Susan Telljohann explains how to put the 15 characterisitics of effective health education curricula to work in teaching health. Read the article >>

The Best Health Ed Curriculum for Your School? Here’s Your Answer!

How do schools committed to program success choose the program that’s going to work best in their setting? HealthSmart developer Dr. Susan Telljohann discusses the importance of an evidence-informed approach. Read the article >>

Health and Academic Achievement

Scientific reviews have documented that school health programs can have positive effects on educational outcomes, as well as health-risk behaviors and health outcomes. Health-risk behaviors such as early sexual initiation, violence and physical inactivity are consistently linked to poor grades and test scores and lower educational attainment. Research also has shown that school health programs can reduce the prevalence of health risk behaviors among young people and have a positive effect on academic performance. Download the full report >>

Importance of Health Education in Schools

Did you know that the United States is ranked last out of 21 industrialized countries in overall child health and safety? The American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association have issued a statement supporting quality health education programs in schools as the most effective way to promote lifelong health. Download the statement >>

Fostering School Connectedness

Young people who feel connected to school are more likely to succeed academically and make healthy choices. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers six strategies that teachers and other school staff can use to foster school connectedness and create a more welcoming and supportive school environment for all students. Download the full report >>

Latest YRBSS Data

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six types of health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults. HealthSmart addresses these risk behaviors as part of its skills-based health curriculum. Additionally, individual lessons make use of YRBSS data to both highlight healthy norms and to underscore the real risk from unhealthy behaviors.

For an overview of the latest survey results or to download the complete report visit YRBSS  >>