Teen Health and Wellness 

According to the Office of the Surgeon General, today 12.5 million children are overweight in the U.S. -- more than 17 percent of our children. These youth are at greater risk for many serious health problems. To ensure a healthy future for America's youth, we must help them stay active and encourage healthy eating habits. During our summer youth program called "The Food Initiative", our young people are out in the garden all summer long, working hard, sweating, and learning about healthy organic fruits and vegetables.

At the same time, we understand that good health is not just about what we eat and what we do. It's also about our emotional well-being. At Mission Clarksville, we work hard to create an emotionally safe and encouraging environment where our youth are invited to step away from disfunctional or unhealthy ways of looking at themselves, and to step into new, life-giving ways of viewing themselves, each other, and the world around them.

Our method echoes much of the approach of our own local school system, and we are pleased to be partnering with them in an effort to pursue creative and innovate solutions to our current health care challenges. 

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