We believe healthier students make better learners. Students engaging in regular physical activity focus better in class, have better grades, fewer absences, and improved cognitive performance.

Many teens haven’t made the connection between their own health choices—like making time for physical activity—and the implications on their long-term health. Through our healthy lifestyle program for high schools, we are empowering students across 43 states to build healthy habits that last a lifetime. Since inception, more than 80,000 students have participated.

Our high school healthy lifestyle program encourages students to take charge of their health and understand the critical importance of establishing healthy habits now. The project-based online program is designed to be flexible and fit naturally into any high-school health curriculum. After a brief training session, teachers facilitate student teams in a case study where they assess and diagnose a patient with a preventable medical condition. By addressing the preventable medical conditions that are most relevant to today’s students, the program teaches the benefits of making healthier lifestyle choices.

Each condition covered in the project is related to a leading cause of death in the US and linked to a common teen behavior:

• Alcohol poisoning as a result of binge drinking
• Traumatic brain injury as a result of a car accident
• Ischemic stroke
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Lung cancer due to years of smoking
• Sudden cardiac arrest caused by too many energy drinks
• Melanoma from not using sun-care products
• Amputation after mismanagement of type II diabetes
• Type II diabetes from inactivity and poor nutrition

We proudly use teacher feedback to make continuous updates and improvements, accommodating the ever-changing needs of students and ensuring they get the most out of their projects. “I think this is an awesome opportunity for our students, and they did such a great job working on their teamwork, problem solving and communication skills while learning very important content. This program is a fantastic addition to our curriculum,” stated Amy McClure, a teacher at Mill Valley High School in Kansas.

Since beginning this program more than a decade ago, we’ve helped thousands of students connect the dots between their health choices now and a healthier tomorrow. If you’re interested in bringing the program to your classroom and getting your students started, visit the Oracle Health Foundation website.