Aldine ISD Receives Grant from MD Anderson Cancer Center for “Be Well Acres Homes” Program
Six campuses in the Aldine Independent School District have been awarded a $72,000 grant from the MD Anderson Cancer Center to support the implementation of the innovative “Be Well Acres Homes” program. This initiative aims to educate students on exercise, nutrition, and sun safety practices in an effort to reduce the risk of cancer. Notably, this is the third grant Aldine ISD has received from MD Anderson, indicating a strong partnership between the organizations.
Commencing this month and continuing through May 2025, the program will engage fourth, fifth, and sixth-grade students in select Aldine ISD schools within the Acres Homes area. The six campuses set to benefit from this program include:
- Anderson Academy
- Caraway Elementary
- Goodman ACE
- Harris Academy
- Houston Academy
- Smith Elementary
Through the grant, student participants will receive heart rate monitors, sunscreen dispensers, BRAINBall equipment that blends math and literacy with physical activity, water bottles, and shirts to support their wellness journey.
MD Anderson established the “Be Well Communities” program in 2016 with the aim of collaboratively working with communities to prevent and control cancer. The program has been successfully implemented in Baytown, Pasadena, and now Acres Homes, employing evidence-based interventions relating to community services, public education, and policy changes.
The overarching goal of the program is to utilize heart rate monitors to monitor and enhance cardiovascular endurance among students, thereby reducing their cancer risk. Students will be required to participate in after-school sessions each week, ensuring regular physical activity and education on healthy habits.
Recognizing the importance of physical activity in the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model, Kenneth Hernandez, the program manager of the grant, emphasized the significance of the Active Kids program in fostering healthy lifelong learners within Aldine ISD.
With alarming rates of obesity, tobacco use, and poverty prevalent in the Acres Homes area, the program aims to combat sedentary lifestyles and promote overall health among students. The collaboration with Aldine ISD’s Child Nutrition Department and the provision of bus transportation demonstrate a holistic approach to student wellness.
As the program gears up to launch, the partnership between UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center highlights a broader initiative to address cancer disparities in low-income areas. By investing in cancer prevention research and community programs, these organizations are striving towards a healthier future for all.
With the establishment of the Acres Homes Cancer Prevention Collaboration and ongoing efforts to combat obesity-related cancers, the region is poised to witness positive changes in health outcomes.
Through strategic partnerships and targeted interventions, the “Be Well Acres Homes” program is set to make a profound impact on the health and well-being of students in the Aldine ISD community, laying the foundation for a healthier, more resilient generation.