Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School students and staff have spent nearly a year becoming healthier and more physically fit — and their efforts are paying off. ADVERTISING Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School students and staff have spent nearly a year becoming healthier
Chiefess Kapiolani Elementary School students and staff have spent nearly a year becoming healthier and more physically fit — and their efforts are paying off.
Kapiolani was named Hawaii’s first “Blue Zones Project Approved” school this month, which means it’s successfully implemented the project’s principles promoting healthy eating, exercise and mindfulness, among other things.
To celebrate, the Blue Zones Project held a ribbon-cutting at Kapiolani’s May Day program this past week and a family-fun day event for the school community is slated for August.
“Students are excited,” Kapiolani Principal David Dinkle said. “I think (they’re excited) just being part of this movement toward becoming healthy and making sure we incorporate healthy practices at school. We’re making sure students are physically active and providing (them with) that social and emotional kind of learning.”
The Blue Zones Project is a health and well-being improvement initiative launched in at least nine communities nationwide, according to its website. The project incorporates principles from author Dan Buettner’s “Blue Zones” book series. Buettner’s books promote strategies for living longer, practiced by people who live in “blue zones” which he says are places in the world with high longevity.
In Hawaii, the effort is sponsored by Hawaii Medical Service Association and there’s no direct cost to become approved, Blue Zones Project East Hawaii spokeswoman Lisa Cabalis said.
Kapiolani’s approval process included rebuilding its school garden, implementing “physical movement activities” at the start of the school day, applying for the federal Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program and implementing a “social/emotional” curriculum.
“I believe (the new practices will change Kapiolani),” Dinkle said. “It will draw kids to school; it’s not that we’re not focused on academics but we want to make sure (students) have all their needs met.”
Kapiolani probably won’t be the last East Hawaii school to get the Blue Zones stamp of recognition — schools in both the Hilo-Waiakea and Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa complex areas are also working toward approval, Cabalis said, as well as a number of Big Island businesses including KTA Super Stores.
Participation statewide is left up to individual schools, state Department of Education spokesman Derek Inoshita said in an email. The DOE doesn’t require any school to get involved.
