And the Award Goes to...Part 3

In addition to our Texas Health Champions, every year we honor “Rising Stars”—kids and teens who have already started championing health for Texans in their communities. This year we have Joyce Chen, 17, from Elkins High School in Sugarland who will receive the Rising Star Award, and Paul Eguia, 11, from Cambridge Elementary School in San Antonio who will receive the Junior Rising Star.

Both of these Rising Stars will be honored at the 2015 Texas Health Champion Award Ceremony on September 15th in Austin. Click here for more details and to register to attend.

2015 Texas Rising Star Awardee: Joyce Chen

Joyce Chen is greatly passionate about healthy changes, and it shows in her work. She has pursued this passion in a number of avenues over the years. For starters, she designed her own nutrition and activity program called “What’s for Breakfast,” a curriculum for elementary school P.E. classes that teaches the importance of the first meal of the day. Joyce also came up with the idea to use iPad and app technology to create an interactive curriculum for Fun with Foods—an after school nutrition education program that works with minority girls in underserved Houston schools. In her free time, she has spoken to diverse populations at many community health fairs, growing more adept at speaking across cultures to deliver healthy messages.

2015 Texas Junior Rising Star Awardee: Paul Eguia

Paul Eguia’s concept for change was simple and effective. He says, “...kids love a challenge, kids love competition, and kids love to see themselves on TV. If you can combine these three things, you can make something like eating healthy and exercising fun for everyone.” He challenged the kids in his elementary school to eat more fruits and vegetables and get more physical activity. Each week, two classes at the elementary school were challenged to film themselves trying a new fruit or vegetable and then pass the challenge along to a new class. These clips were shown over the school’s morning announcements. Eguia also engaged his schoolmates in a physical activity competition. With help from the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio and the Mayor’s Fitness Council, he was able to give every student and staff member a pedometer for one week. The student, teacher, and grade that walked the most steps won prizes.

In the future, both Rising Stars hope to build on the work they have already done. Eguia would like to expand his program to other schools in his district—specifically the high school and the other elementary school. Chen would like to use her position as Student Council President in the coming school year to plan fundraisers to support health initiatives and physical activity events like a glow-in-the-dark Zumba dance. In college next year, she hopes to study public health.

Both Rising Stars will be honored for their achievements during the 8th Annual Texas Health Champion Award Ceremony on September 15th in Austin. We welcome you to join us in recognizing them for their work to promote healthy children and healthy students across click here to register or for event details.