Each day in Louisiana, more than 1,300 schools provide a setting for over 716,000 students to learn and establish lifelong healthy behaviors. Well-Ahead Louisiana helps our schools create healthy school environments for Louisiana students to succeed and thrive.
We’re pretty proud of our way of life in Louisiana and our lifestyle has a big impact on our overall health. These numbers affect every aspect of life in our communities, including academic success. Research shows a strong connection between healthy behaviors and academic achievement. Youth risk behaviors, such as physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary behaviors and tobacco use are consistently linked to poor grades and test scores and lower educational attainment.
Well-Ahead is changing the conversation around health in schools. Research shows that healthy school environments can improve students’ academic performance and overall health. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model is our framework for promoting health in schools. The model is student-centered and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting schools, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based policies and practices. Well-Ahead connects schools to resources that can help them implement healthy changes to prevent chronic disease, promote health and connect our communities to healthier future.
1 Louisiana Youth Tobacco Survey, 2019. https://wellaheadla.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2019_LYTS_FINAL.pdf
2 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2019.
2021 Louisiana Department Of Health
wellahead@la.gov | 1-844-522-4323
