“The journey of the heart”: educate children about cardiovascular risk

The Department of National Education and the Northern Islands USEP association will organize in Saint-Martin for 1,125 students of first-degree “the journey of the heart”, an initiative of the French Federation of Cardiology, first association to fight against cardiovascular disorders.

This event is part of the educational path to health, at the center of the educational policy of the Ministry of National Education. Established in September 2016, it covers all grades, from kindergarten to high school. It structures the presentation and regroups the measures that affect both the protection of students’ health, educational activities related to the prevention of risk behaviors and educational activities set up in the courses with reference to the common core and to school programs. “Journey of the heart” is intended to educate and inform students of Saint-Martin on the risks they take by eating too much fat, too sweet, smoking - for adults-, by not doing physical exercise. It is also a question of training for responsible citizens tomorrow who will be actors of their own health.  “To educate students from 1st grade to 5th grade and to facilitate memorization, the message will be simple: 0-5-60, which is zero smoking, eat five fruits and vegetables, and enjoy 60 minutes of physical activity a day. It will be accompanied by a first-aid training” says Jean-Luc Elice, President of the Northern Islands USEP. And to specify that the French Federation of Cardiology has already sent health kits for all children in elementary school, including a bracelet, a ruler and a pen. The “Journey of the Heart” courses will take place between 9:00 and 11:00 am at the Vanterpool stadium and will consist of tests of physical activity on May 10 (4th and 5th grades), and on 11 May, prevention workshops (tobacco, physical activity, nutrition, first-aid) for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades, animated by school nurses and the association “Les Liaisons dangereuses”. The Department of education and the USEP are offering to the students of cycles 2 and 3, workshops of prevention on the same themes.