For the past two years, the Ministry of Health has been engaged in the implementation of a unique studen
t health program dubbed Fit-Teen.
On the evening of Tuesday, February 5th, Ministry officials observed the closing ceremony of the third cycle of the program with recognition of the accomplishments of a cohort of student teens.
The ceremony was held at the Soroptimist Day Center. It was chaired by Mrs. Hya
cinth Bradley, Community Services Planner in the Ministry of Health.
The event was attended by the parents/gaurdians of the children involved, as well as by mentors who were attached to the program. The mentors’ purpose was to inspire and encourage the students throughout the program, thus enabling them to end up greatly benefiting from the concentrated health and fitness training.
The formal welcome was given by the Hon. Minister of Health, Mr. NcNeil Rogers. Speaking about the nature of program, and the remarkable achievements of the students, he noted: “This Fit-Teen program, which was launched in 2016, promotes active living while supporting early interventions in the lives of children and adolescents who are predisposed to develop chronic, non-communicable diseases. Some of these students may have been flagged for weight management challenges, based on assessments done by school health nurses against t
he Center for Disease Control’s BMI (Body Mass Index).
“It is upon the grounds of promoting a healthier population, that the Fit-Teen pr
ogram came into being. The various components of Fit-Teen are: health assessment, mentorship, personal and group development, nutritional support, physical activity and family support sessions. These are all based on ongoing efforts in the Departments within the Ministry of Health and Social Development, in collaboration with statutory bodies and private partners, to develop programs which would holistical
ly address the health and psycho-social challenges of our young people.”
Mr. Rogers complimented the Fit-Teen management team for conducting such a beneficial student program. He applauded the students for their accomplishments, as well as their parents and mentors for monitoring and conducting such a successful program.
Mrs. Twyla Bradshaw, Director of the Chronic Disease Unit, gave a synopsis of the Fit-Teen program. She said: “The selection of the Fit-Teen participants was done through recommendations made by the School Health Unit under the Ministry of Education. This processes resulted in the enrolment of sixteen students ranging from 12 to 14 years of age, consisting of 11 girls and 5 boys.
“This is a multi-sector program. There is a gym component that is under the directorship of Mr. Duquaine Brooks. Each Tuesday and Thursday, at midday, the program saw [some]… 56% to 76% of the students attending Lyon CrossFit Gym.”
The Fit-Teen program is in fact the brainchild of Mr. Duquaine Brooks. He mentioned in a brief interview that he thought he should contribute to the health and fitness aspect of teens in Anguilla, and help them get on a track of physical activity which would translate in healthy and rewarding lifestyles while they were young. He said in putting forth the idea to the Ministry of Health, there were only minor challenges in the adoption of the program but these were soon overcome.
The closing ceremony of the third cycle of the Fit-Teen program featured the presentation of certificates to the young participants. Both the teens and their parents were quite satisfied with the program.
As Community Services Planner in the Ministry of Health and Social Development, Mrs. Hyacinth Bradley wishes to thank the following entities for their support in conducting the Fit-Teen program: the Ministry and Department of Social Development; the Department of Education (School Health Unit); the Ministry of Health (Chronic Disease Unit); the Department of Sports; the Department of Youth and Culture; the Health Authority of Anguilla (Nutrition, Health Promotion and Medical Units) and Lyon CrossFit Gym.
