Our Commitment
To improve the health and well-being of our children
Through its Highmark Healthy High 5 initiative, Highmark Foundation is committed to improving the health of children and adolescents by providing them with tools and practices for healthy behavior. Highmark Healthy High 5 supports the promotion of good health for children and adolescents ages 6–18.
The Highmark Healthy High 5 initiative is a unique opportunity to pull together the many positive and effective evidence-based practices and activate them throughout schools and communities. Highmark Healthy High 5 wants to provide the resources and tools that will allow educators to take the lead in improving the health status of our children.
Promoting children's health makes good sense because the health habits established in childhood often continue into maturity. As children learn and develop healthy behaviors, they can act as change agents for good health. To foster lifelong wellness, Highmark Healthy High 5 is committed to reaching out to children in their schools, at home and in their communities, to reinforce the benefits of nutrition, physical activity, grief support, self-esteem and bullying prevention.
Highmark Healthy High 5 aims to do three main things:
- Raise awareness — Communicate the importance of children's health promotion through media, marketing and events. Convene experts to share and disseminate best practices.
- Change behavior — Build upon current programs such as the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant program, Highmark Healthy High 5 SPARK Active Recreation and Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools that promote positive health habits in children. Provide grants to evidence based programs that make a meaningful impact on the issue of children's health promotion.
- Create supportive environments — Engage and educate parents and the community on how to develop healthy environments for children and adolescents in schools and homes. Provide grants to initiatives that create environments which encourage and support healthy habits in children.
Success in promoting children's health requires participation from the entire community. Working in the schools and with the community, Highmark Foundation is seeking to create a world where children and adolescents live longer, healthier lives. Please join in the effort by playing a supportive role and by taking appropriate actions as members of the community:
- Schools have the opportunity to change the patterns and values of our kids when it comes to their health. Find creative ways to increase the number of minutes of physical activity, raise their level of knowledge for good nutrition, improve self esteem, and work to provide a safe environment for kids by reducing the number of bullying incidents.
- Parents/Guardians are at the forefront of health promotion for children and adolescents. Among the supportive actions you can take are to work with educators and non-profit leaders to reinforce appropriate behaviors for lifelong wellness.
- Business and community leaders can join the Highmark Foundation in promoting lifelong wellness in children and adolescents as a way of realizing the economic benefits of healthy living. Health care expenses related to children's health issues cost Pennsylvania businesses and communities millions of dollars each year.
- Health care professionals can talk to patients about lifelong wellness as an important health goal. Resources from Highmark are available to help your patients and their parents/guardians to develop lifelong health habits.
For detailed information about specific Highmark Healthy High 5 topics, click on links at the top of this page or those in the left and right columns of the page.
