The Mary Cameron Robinson (MCR) Foundation has adopted a model for middle schools and high schools. It focuses on positive body image and self-esteem. Young people need acceptance with their peers and this program allows the MCR Foundation to help educate them on a healthy lifestyle instead of dieting.
“The Body Positive” program enables the MCR Foundation to promote the “Health at Every Size (HAES) model, which encourages people of all sizes to adopt healthy lifestyles.” With over 10 area middle schools and high schools, the MCR Foundation has over 1,000 teens to share this important, lifestyle-changing information with each school year.
History:
This program was founded in 1996 and since that inception they have been prove benchmarks that “body acceptance is the key” and the three components to its success have been education, attention and care.
• Hundreds of youth have been trained by The Body Positive since 1998 when the first youth leadership group formed.
• “Over 1,000 schools and communities have created their own body image programs based on The Body Positive's youth leadership model, including 525 school districts in the state of Illinois.”
• More than a million children have viewed the BodyTalk videos and their videos have been distributed worldwide.
• As of 2004, Channel One broadcast has shared The Body Positive’s Health at Every Size philosophy to eight million middle and high school students.
Philosophy:
The MCR Foundation promotes this philosophy because it encourages and supports the youth in our area to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This can be done by becoming physically active, consuming nutritious foods, developing healthy eating habits and attitudes, and developing self-respect which leads to peer support and positive body image. “These are the building blocks for sustainable healthy living.”
During the 2009-2010 school year, roughly 1,758 students participated in this program. For more information or to schedule a visit to your classroom, email or call (423) 622-2666.
