Red Cross Program Promotes Healthy Lifestyles for Kids

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F.A.C.T., designed for children ages 5 to 8, is a six-lesson health and safety program taught by the Red Cross. The program's core components include a F.A.C.T. fun book, stickers, laminated visual aids and the multicultural F.A.C.T. Critter Clan. The Critters tell comical stories which promote basic first aid skills, living healthy, exercise, getting a balanced diet, injury prevention, and good hygiene habits.

This summer 275 children throughout the area had the opportunity to take F.A.C.T., thanks to a grant from The Rider-Pool Foundation. Tanner Coles, a junior at Bethany College and summer intern at the Red Cross, coordinated the program in nine facilities. Kelsey Fenstermacher, Michelle Fernandez, Dr. Najma Khanani and Jenna Kocsis helped to teach the program. "It's excellent that The Rider-Pool Foundation funded this program," said Coles. "The program teaches vital information that the children can use for the rest of their lives."

Bill Zeky, camp director at the Allentown YMCA, describes the program as "essential" for children in this day and age. "F.A.C.T. programs and those like it are what all kids should be involved in," said Zeky. "Especially now, with all the education cuts on physical education and health classes, kids don't get much of this activity," he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), obesity in children ages 6 to 11 has doubled since 1980, proving that children today need more programs like F.A.C.T. Zeky believes that the program combats this statistic by giving a different perspective on living healthy. "We're someone besides their parents telling the children to be active and eat healthy," said Zeky. "Since kids don't always listen to their parents, they'll listen more to our younger staff members and Red Cross instructors like Tanner," he added.

• What is F.A.C.T.? First Aid for Children Today teaches children ages 5 to 8 their role in managing their own health and safety and that of their environment. Class is taught by Red Cross instructors.
  
  
• Number of local students taught this summer: 275 in 9 facilities
  
  
• Program topics: Basic first aid skills, healthy living (with diet and exercise), hygiene and health habits, road and personal safety, injury prevention, first aid for the environment/environmental protection.
  
  
• Program length: Six one-hour sessions; either once per day for a week or once a week for six weeks.
  
  
• Where F.A.C.T. is taught: The program is administered through willing organizations, nonprofits, and places of worship.
  
  
• Is F.A.C.T. a good experience for my child? Yes.