Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Kids

The Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Kids initiative is a collaboration between Smart Growth Vermont and Shelburne Farm’s Sustainable Schools Project. HNHK teaches youth about what makes a neighborhood “healthy” and engages them in community planning activities that improve the health of their own community. Students partner with health care, community and environmental organizations to promote proper health, learn about what aspects of a neighborhood make it healthy, and improve their own neighborhood by contributing to community planning solutions.

Past HNHK projects include:

Barrios Saludables Ninos Sanos – Hundreds of youth worked to develop a vision for their community, educate community members, and undertake a neighborhood clean-up effort.

Cross-Town Exploration, Burlington, VT – two 4th and 5th grade schools explored Burlington’s quality of life, compared the two very different neighborhoods, and chose a location to design and implement a neighborhood improvement project.

H.O. Wheeler, Burlington – a 5th grade class addressed neighborhood health through energy use by evaluating energy types and uses and hosting a community energy walk to visit alternative energy sites.

The HNHK guide outlines a suggested project process for students:

1. Study their neighborhood and reflect on how they feel about it.
2. Compile a list of the qualities of a safe and healthy environment. 
3. Create neighborhood report cards to evaluate current condition.
4. Use their guides to document existing conditions.
5. Compile the findings and make recommendations to community members and leaders for improvements.
6. Choose and implement a neighborhood improvement project.
7. Host a community celebration.