Wellness in the Schools

One plate at a time, Wellness in the Schools tackles child obesity in schools across Florida, New York, New Jersey, and California. 

Wellness in the Schools, or WITS for short, aims to end childhood obesity by teaching children healthy habits to learn and live better.

Why is it important?

Childhood obesity has been a major public health concern in the United States for decades. Latest research shows that over one-third of Americans under the age of 18 are overweight or obese. Since children spend up to 12,000 hours in school between kindergarten and high school graduation, schools are the ideal environment to shape the wellness behavior our youths.

How do they do it?

WITS partners with public schools to provide children with nutrition and fitness education, healthy cooked-from-scratch meals and active recess periods.

• In 2007, Cook for Kids was launched with the goal to feed kids real food. WITS recruits trained culinary graduates to work with local schools to transform the cafeteria menu, train school staff and provide nutrition education to students.

• WITS decided to step up their game by introducing Coach for Kids in 2010. Through reinventing recess, training school staff and offering fitness education to students, the program hopes to have children reach the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity.

• The latest program Green for Kids has already impacted 13 schools. It brings gardening experience into classrooms and cafeterias with hands-on, experiential learning. The interactive experience not only allows school staff and students to help maintain their school garden together, children also get to share the product of their hard work.

Since 2006, WITS has successfully reached over 120 schools and 60,000 children. They strive to continue changing lives using their unique approach to health education, driving systemic, long-term change and shifting school cultures.

How you can #TravelKindly

• Choose Wellness in the Schools as your choice of charity when you book hotels with Kind Traveler.

• Attend an Associate Council meeting to join a group of young supporters who care deeply about our country’s public health.

• Schedule a tour of the program during a school day to learn more about how wellness can be brought to the schools.

• Help out at a Family Fitness Fun Night from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., where families are brought together for a night of fitness and a healthy meal. Get in touch with WITS at [email protected] to find out when the time and place.