Through Healthy Choices Week, Memphis City Schools is taking the lead on community health issues by equipping our students and partners throughout the city with resources to make healthier life choices.

Healthy Choices Week 2005 was the start of Memphis City Schools' charge to put our community on a path to better health. The campaign opened with success, drawing a wide range of community attention and support for healthy eating and exercise habits, safe sexual behaviors and positive relationships to deter students from the unhealthy choices that plague our community.

Memphis City Schools hopes to build on the momentum of this annual campaign by working with every school and teaming up with numerous community agencies each year to inform and promote the benefits of practicing healthier behaviors. The year-long awareness campaign culminates in November with a full week of fun, learning and community activities designed to celebrate these efforts and inspire healthier living in Memphis.

Why Healthy Choices Week?

Healthy Choices Week was launched after the Centers for Disease Control's 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to middle and high school students in the Memphis area revealed that more than half of students were taking part in “major risk-taking” behaviors.

Click here to view the results of the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Click here to view the results of the recently released 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Who Will Participate in Healthy Choices Week?

Every classroom in every Memphis City School will participate along with various other MCS representatives, including: MCS Board of Commissioners -- MCS Office of Coordinated School Health -- MCS K-12 Health, PE, Lifetime Wellness -- MCS Health Services -- MCS Division of Parent Engagement -- MCS Center for Safe and Drug Free Schools -- MCS Mental Health Services (Alcohol & Drug) -- MCS HIV Prevention Education (Outreach) -- MCS Elementary, Middle & High School Counseling -- MCS Division of Nutrition Services -- MCS Positive Behavior Coaches -- MCS Department of Curriculum and Instruction -- MCS Federal Grants & Programs (NCLB) -- MCS Office of Research, Evaluation & Assessments -- MCS Department of Communications, Marketing & Development. Community Agencies: Memphis-Shelby County Health Department -- The Healthy Memphis Common Table -- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital -- LeBonheur -- University of Tennessee Extension -- University of Tennessee Children's Foundation Research Center – University of Tennessee-Memphis Pediatric -- University of Memphis Center for Research on Women -- University of Memphis Center for Community Health -- Christ Community Health Services -- Christ United Methodist Church -- Memphis Managed Care -- Healthy Kids and Teens -- Memphis Area Nutrition Council -- Inside First Nutrition -- The Healing Center -- Youth Villages (Safe Place) -- Planned Parenthood -- Memphis Health Center ("Are You STD Free?" program) -- Well Child, Inc. –- Community HIV Network -- American Cancer Society -- American Diabetes Association – YMCA -- Boys Scouts of America -- Blue Cross/Blue Shield -- First Tennessee -- Assissi Foundation –- Memphis Parks and Recreation -- Police and Citizen’s Alliance -- Game Day Baseball -- Shelby County Mayor’s Office – and many more.