Play Hard, Live Clean Challenges Youth to Eat Healthy 

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

The Garrett County Health Department’s Play Hard, Live Clean (PHLC) healthy lifestyle campaign is designed to encourage youth to make good choices by recognizing and rewarding them for certain positive lifestyle accomplishments from kindergarten through graduation.

Students in elementary and middle school recently completed the first challenge for this school year.

Elementary school students were challenged to complete 10 out of a possible 25 healthy eating activities provided by the PHLC team from the Garrett County Health Department. Examples include eating a red fruit or vegetable, or helping prepare a healthy meal with adult supervision.

Each school decided how to promote the challenge to their students, and were given a graph to display in their school showing their participation after the first challenge.

Route 40 Elementary School came in first with a 68% overall participation rate. The rest of the elementary schools participation rates were:

● Swan Meadow – 40%
● Crellin – 36%
● Accident – 35%
● Grantsville – 28%
● Yough Glades – 23%
● Broadford – 21%
● Friendsville 7%

The next challenge is currently underway and focuses on Mindfulness Techniques. At the end of the year, all students who participated in challenges will be awarded a medal – bronze for completing one challenge; silver for two; and gold for three.

All middle school students were challenged to record their intake of fruits and vegetables for at least 10 days in a 2-week period, aiming for a combined total of at least 5 a day.

Within each school, the classroom with the highest percentage of participation was awarded PHLC/kNOwDRINKING t-shirts for the teacher and each student in that classroom.

At Northern Middle School, Ms. Snider’s 7th grade homeroom had 100% participation with 27 students.

At Southern Middle School, Mr. Whitacre’s 6th grade homeroom had 100% participation with 17 students.

The Youth in Action Teams at the middle schools, which are peer leadership groups, also challenged each other. The school with the lower participation had to wear the other school’s colors for a day.

Southern Middle School had 43% participation for this first challenge, giving them the honor of hosting Bernard the Bear (see photo above) in their lobby until the next challenge is completed. Northern Middle School had a 22% participation rate.

The next challenge is currently underway and is a Kindness Challenge.

For more information about PHLC visit the PlayHardLiveClean.com website or call the health department at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.

Cutline: The battle of the Youth in Action Teams: Southern Middle School’s team (pictured above) won against Northern Middle School’s team, giving them the honor of hosting Bernard the Bear in their lobby until completion of the next challenge.

Cutline: During the Play Hard, Live Clean Challenge, Ms. Snider’s 7th grade homeroom had 100% participation in the challenge. They received kNOwDRINKING t-shirts for having the highest participation rate in their school.