By: Gativitis Price

10/14/2015

Twelve youth from Tallahassee were recently recognized as health leaders at a ceremony hosted by the Youth Health Leadership (YHL) Program of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Education (COPE) Project, funded by the Florida Blue Foundation.

YHL, which is the youth arm of COPE, engages youth ages 11-18 in promoting and improving health and wellness through education and action in Tallahassee/Leon County. YHL was established to provide youth the opportunity to participate in interactive educational sessions about improving health for themselves and others. YHL includes three components: educational sessions, rotation in the community to apply information learned, and development of a youth-driven health campaign.  Following these activities, YHL members use the knowledge and skills learned to help improve health of their peers, families and the broader community.

The COPE Project was initiated in 2010 and now has a Coalition of over 80 organizations in Tallahassee/Leon County.  The vision of COPE is Healthy Children! Healthy Future! Healthy Tallahassee! The mission is to develop and implement a plan of action to decrease childhood obesity in Tallahassee.  Lead organizations for the COPE Project are FAMU Institute of Public Health, Florida Family Network, Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council, and FSU Center on Better Health and Life for Underserved Populations.

For more information about the COPE Project, go to tallycope.org.