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Blue & Youth
A significant focus of the mission of BlueAdvantage Administrators of Arkansas is
working with Arkansas citizens to emphasize wellness and prevention. The Blue &
Youth Health Program is an effort to improve our communities' health status, starting
with the young people of our state. The central figure of the Blue & Youth Health
Program is BlueAnn Ewe, our health-and-wellness ambassador, a 6-foot-tall blue sheep
(costume character/mascot). In a little more than 10 years, BlueAnn has become well
known around the state, and the program has reached more than 750,000 young people
with a health message through its core components.
BlueAnn Ewe's Healthy ClassAct
BlueAnn Ewe's Healthy ClassAct is a high-energy and interactive, fun approach to
health, wellness and safety taught in elementary classrooms across the state featuring
BlueAnn Ewe. A coloring book serves as a guide for the lesson, and the presenter
uses it and colorful props, including papier maché fruits and vegetables, a jump
rope, stethoscope, bicycle horn and an oversized toothbrush. The 35-minute presentation
quizzes students and allows them to participate in the presentation by brushing
BlueAnn's teeth, jumping rope with her and listening to her heart. Each student
receives a coloring book at the end of the lesson, and a BlueAnn doll stays behind
to become the class health mascot.
BlueAnn Health Club
BlueAnn Health Club is a free club with a two-year membership, designed to provide
individual children aged 5 to 10 with opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles
and participate in activities, with the goal of encouraging overall healthy behaviors
and involving parents in the process. The Club includes incentives and rewards for
participating in activities. Members get an ID card and membership certificate,
as well as a poster and two birthday cards. Following the initial membership packet,
Health Club members receive quarterly packets, which include a newsletter, activity
sheet, special gift and a business-reply envelope. Packets contain information and
activities on health topics, including nutrition, exercise, safety, hygiene, dental
health, emotions and drug/tobacco prevention.
BlueAnn Class Club
BlueAnn Class Club is the classroom equivalent of the Health Club. This free club
is designed for kindergarten and first-grade classrooms. Teachers enroll their classes
and utilize Club materials at their discretion. Membership is for one school year
and also provides incentives and rewards for practicing healthy behaviors. Class
Clubs get three packets of information and activities during the school year.
"BlueAnn Rocks"
Twelve animated musical television commercials feature BlueAnn, kids and some colorful
characters who sing health messages regarding nutrition, peer pressure, exercise
and safety. The spots are shown on children's television programming on network
television and cable channels, including Nickelodeon.
BlueAnn's
Wild & Woolly Web Site
BlueAnn has a fun Web site for kids, which contains health information and activities.
Visitors can vote in a weekly poll, play games, watch the "BlueAnn Rocks" music
videos, listen to the radio spots, join the health club, print out activity and
coloring sheets, read about healthy goodies, look through BlueAnn's scrapbook, read
her fan mail, view a schedule of BlueAnn's appearances and more.
Museum of Discovery Kiosk/Game
A multi-dimensional, colorful kiosk is located at the Museum of Discovery in Little
Rock, which lets kids play an interactive computer game about health called "Who
Wants To Feel Like a Million Bucks?" BlueAnn hosts the game wearing a Regis-like
monochromatic suit and asks kids for their "final" answers.
"Get 5" Promotion With Radio Disney
"Get 5" is a Radio Disney national program that airs in Arkansas on FM 99.5 to encourage
kids to eat five fruits and vegetables and to accomplish five five-minute bursts
of physical activity a day. "BlueAnn Rocks" spots and special promos air on Radio
Disney, and BlueAnn makes special appearances at several schools during the year
in Central Arkansas (Radio Disney FM 99.5's listener area) to promote health and
fitness.
"Don't Start" Smoking Storyboard Contest Sponsorship
The "Don't Start" Smoking Storyboard Contest is an opportunity for elementary school-aged
students (K-5) to use writing and drawing to create a story showing why people should
never start smoking ... and to win prizes for their efforts. The winning storyboard
is turned into a Public Service Announcement (PSA) and broadcast on the media sponsor's
stations as well as distributed to television stations throughout the state for
use. The contest is held in the spring.
High School Heroes
High School Heroes is a unique student-to-student teaching program with a strong
anti-smoking message targeting fourth, fifth and sixth-graders. The program, developed
by the American Lung Association, is sponsored statewide by Arkansas Blue Cross.
Specially trained high school students — High School Heroes — present
an anti-smoking message to younger students in their school district. Using brainstorming,
role-playing, discussion and question-and-answer, Heroes serve as role models for
the younger students. With the message coming from another young person instead
of an adult, the message is more readily accepted and students more motivated to
emulate the Hero's behavior. In addition, the Hero learns leadership and presentation
skills and is motivated to remain tobacco-free. BlueAnn Ewe is on the agenda at
all High School Heroes media kickoffs, teaching kids how to do the "BlueAnn Stomp,"
a rap-dance written by a group of Heroes.
We realize that influencing lifestyle changes, which will lead to improved health
in future generations, will take a long-term commitment, and the impact will be
seen slowly, over time. We also realize that we are one voice in the mix of impressions
made on kids daily. But BlueAdvantage is committed to a state of better health in
Arkansas for adults and children alike.
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