Implementing Health Education in a Public Pre-Kindergarten Classroom

Presenter: Lillia Strandquist, Public Health Science, Global Public Health Scholars

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In Anne Arundel County public schools, the health unit was cut from the pre-kindergarten curriculum starting in the 2022-2023 school year and replaced with a dinosaur unit. Health education is one of the most vital tools for serving public health. When children aren’t introduced to foundational concepts such as healthy eating and exercise while they’re young, they can struggle to implement healthy habits as they grow.

To address this gap, I worked with the Annapolis Elementary pre-kindergarten staff to implement some fundamental health lessons into the existing curriculum. I learned about the importance of flexibility when working with kids from low-income and diverse family backgrounds. This experience brought me a better understanding of how health education can be utilized to assist public health.