The students and staff at Clarence Fulton Secondary School participated in the BC Cancer Agency Healthy Living Schools Program and achieved the special designation Health Education Award of Excellence. The program encourages schools to improve health by avoiding the five most common risk factors for cancer. These include avoiding tobacco use, maintaining a healthy body weight, eating a proper diet, maintaining physical activity and avoiding sun damage. Approximately 50 per cent of cancers are preventable.

“We have students who want to participating in the Kick the Nic program to stop smoking and we take part in the B.C. School Fruit and Vegetables Program,” said principal Malcolm Reid, who is pleased with the award and congratulated the students and staff on earning it.

The B.C. School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program delivers two servings of fresh and ready to eat fruits or vegetables to schools every other week for 14 selected weeks.

The snacks are intended to be eaten in class and are not meant to replace breakfast, recess snacks or lunch.

Provincial and school district policies meant changes in what was available in school vending machines so students could make healthier choices.

Respiratory therapist Cory Bendall helps the school with the Healthy Living Schools Program.

“Fulton has done an amazing job with the program. It’s so important for students to learn how to make good decisions in terms of cancer risk,” she said. “This school is making the health of the students a priority because unless the students have their health, they can’t do anything else. If healthy behaviour starts early, it will last longer.”

The school is also making sure that all students can participate in some form of physical activity with financial assistance if needed so that no one is left out.

“The students have choices and they are active. They think better about healthy choices than I did when I was their age,” said Reid.

“The teachers are very supportive of the program and include it in their classes where it is appropriate. In high school settings, there’s always room for discussion about hot issues and this is a hot issue. When the students do self-directed or peer-led projects, they often choose sensitive issues to educate themselves and other students.”