Posted: 6/16/2014
Summer may be a great time to be outdoors, but for too many young people it turns into a time of inactivity, television watching, hanging out with a questionable crowd, and of course, snacking on all the wrong foods. It’s not surprising that childhood obesity continues to be a major health concern, especially in underserved neighborhoods. And, some children fall into other unhealthy behaviors, including drug abuse.
That’s where Camp CHAMPS steps in. CHAMPS, which stands for Choosing Healthy Activities, Meals and Positive Self-Esteem, is an annual event of Parkland Health & Hospital System in partnership with the Dallas Independent School District. It is open to children ages 7 to 16 and is a great way for girls and boys to learn about positive self-esteem, nutrition, exercise and making healthy choices – all in a fun and entertaining way.
“Kids get a good understanding of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. With kids you can never start too early or teach them too many times,” said Jeff Howard, Parkland community development specialist. “We teach them healthy behaviors and help them make better choices.”
Camp CHAMPS, which began in 2010 with funding from the Children’s Health Fund, brings in Parkland physicians, educators, social workers and dietitians to provide the valuable educational activities and services. During the four-day camp, each day is dedicated to teaching a different element of a healthy lifestyle. The campers rotate through four classes that focus on health, nutrition, self-esteem and physical exercise. In addition to the fun and education portion of the camp, children also will be screened and evaluated by physicians and nurses to allow them to find any previously undetected conditions, such as diabetes, asthma or high Body Mass Index (BMI), as well as high blood pressure.
Each day’s activities are structured to give the program a camp feel and last four hours, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. The program is offered at no cost and parents are encouraged to attend with their children. Parental involvement increases the likelihood that children will incorporate the changes into their lifestyle. Classes are offered in both English and Spanish.
This year the camps will be held:
- June 16 – 19 at Gospel Lighthouse Church, 5525 W. Illinois Ave., Dallas
- June 30 to July 3 at Santa Clara Regional Community Center , 321 Calumet Ave., Dallas
- July 7 –10 at Tony Shotwell Life Center, 2750 Graham St., Grand Prairie
- July 14 – 17 at Salvation Army, Pleasant Grove, 8341 Elam Road, Dallas
- July 21 –24 at Voice of Hope, 4120 Gentry Drive, Dallas
The camp seeks to match children with a Youth & Family health center, school-based clinics located throughout Dallas County to provide medical care to children and their families in their own communities. Camp CHAMPS also has long-term goals, such as tracking children at specific intervals after the camp to document how exposure to the program has made a difference.
Howard said organizers are working on increasing parental involvement in the camp, as well as making sure that children are available for their three- and 10-month follow-up monitoring.
“What we’re doing is trying to plant the seed for them to make healthy choices,” Howard said. “We think this camp at least gets the ball rolling.
For more information about Camp CHAMPS or to pre-register, contact Jeff Howard at 214.266.1120, or email Jeffrey.Howard@phhs.org.