Seventh grade students from schools in the Westfield, Cranford, Garwood and Mountainside areas will test their knowledge of health and wellness in our first annual UnitedHealthcare Health Bee. The Health Bee will consist of Jeopardy game show type rounds of competition at the Robert and Virginia Bauer Family Branch, 422 East Broad Street.

The Health Bee is a part of the Westfield Area Y’s fitness program for seventh grade students. Our commitment is to make sure students value a healthy body and a healthy mind. As you may know, research indicates that 7th grade is a key juncture in a child’s development of attitudes and behaviors, including such factors as body image, nutrition and self esteem. Seventh grade is a time of accelerated physical and emotional change. Through our program, the Westfield Y is helping students enhance their self esteem and increase their understanding of the importance of exercise and diet throughout their teen years and into adulthood. To date, more than 250 students have enrolled in this program.

As trends in childhood obesity skyrocket, improving our children’s health will take a community effort. We invite you to join us as we teach our young people to live healthier lives by understanding the importance of physical activity and nutrition.

The Health Bee will be conducted in two parts with a preliminary round, followed by an intermission, and the final round between the top two qualifying schools. Prizes will be awarded to each winning team member. The first place team will be awarded a UnitedHealth HEROES grant of $1,000 for their school. The UnitedHealth HEROES program recognizes schools and community organizations that are doing their part to combat childhood obesity.