Creating healthy students with the help of teachers, staff, parents and the community is the aim of "Health for Success'', a programme launched to demonstrate that education and health are very much related.

"A student who is not healthy, or is hungry, on drugs or abused is not a student who will profit from education'', the committee stated, and trying to help a child after he or she has already become obese is not the time for intervention.

Committee member nutritionist Betsy Baillie said the programme was also aimed at making schools look at the present programmes they have and the ones they need.

"Many of them already have good programmes like Lions Quest, healthful nutrition programmes etc. so they need to look at what they need and what they need to improve on,'' Ms Baillie said.

She added: "The committee has looked overseas to find a programme that can best be used in Bermuda and we were most impressed with the British Columbia Healthy Schools initiative, which is recognised as a world leader in health promotion programming.

"BC has been going since the 1980s and they have results to show that this process is successful. We want to get everybody involved and it entails many different programmes and services in the school environment, health curriculum, physical activity and making things more comprehensive and co-ordinated rather than taking a peace meal approach.'' Bermuda's Comprehensive school Health Programme Partnership includes representatives from different Government departments -- Health and Social Services and Education departments, Police Service, Youth Development, Sport and Recreation, the National Drug Commission, Cultural Affairs, Human Affairs, Legislative Affairs and Women's Issues -- who meet on a regular basis to work on the Health for Success Programme.

And she added the Health for Success programme committee, in partnership with the Bermuda College, would sponsor the British Columbia Healthy schools Initiative through workshops for selected teachers and students of Middle and Senior Schools from Monday, April 7 to Thursday, April 10.

"There are several challenges facing our students that the committee is seeking to combat. These include obesity, inactivity, smoking, alcohol, drug abuse, violence, sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancy,'' the committee stated.

And the committee believes that encouraging a focus on health will reduce the incidence of these "challenges'' among all school-aged children.

"The part Bermuda hasn't been strong on is involving the students and the community,'' Ms Baillie said. She added: "We had some students take part in focus groups and we realised that they have some great ideas on how to improve health. It has to be prevention based because it is too late when they are overweight and obese. We have to change their lifestyle so they don't get that way in the first place.

"Very often we think students are concerned about one thing when very often they are concerned about something else. It is about everybody working together towards achieving and making it possible for all children, healthy children, to learn.'' Ms Baillie said there had been a lot of stress on community involvement therefore in Thursday's workshop would focus on the role of the community.

"The community will be able to get a clearer understanding of their role, what they can do, and how they can do it.

"Our senior school principals are focussed on this concept and because of the forming of Cedarbridge Academy we want to get staff involved in working on this change and getting them involved in being part of this solution.

"This programme is aimed at Cedarbridge, private schools, Berkeley Institute and future middle schools,'' Ms Baillie added.

The programme "represents an expansion of the traditional elements of school health and it embraces a broader mission one in which collaboration with government, non-government agencies and community resources are fostered and everyone in the school shares responsibility for promoting good health,'' the committee states.

Health for Success is a set of policies, practices and procedures designed to enhance the students' educational achievement and health status through these 12 components: instruction programmes -- in health education and integrated across family studies, physical education etc.; activity programmes -- fitness activities, athletics, music, dance etc.

student services: guidance, psychological, health services, integration of social work and other services; food and nutrition services; healthful school environment; involvement of students -- peer leadership, student councils, and community service programmes; involvement of families -- PTA activities and other home school collaborative efforts; involvement of the community; policies; monitoring and assessment; and organisational culture.

HEALTH FOR SUCCESS -- Pictured are some of the "Health for Success'' committee members.(Back row, from left) Paul Singh, Glenda Edwards, Lovette Lovell, Karen Simons-Williams, Lynda Price, Christine Phillips and (front row, from left) Juanita Telford, Maureen Nusum, Betsy Baillie, and Joan Blades.