The educational project on a healthy lifestyle, Healthy 5, is trying to address the children in the new form this year. It boasts a new graphics with a band of 5 friends, a new website and the brand new educational program for the later-year primary school pupils. And this is not the end of innovations in this unique program, as the two managers of the project, Eva Nepokojová and Petra Režná of Albert Charity Foundation, make clear in the interview.
What does the Healthy Five project bring new in the present school year?
PR: First and foremost it is a new educational program for the older pupils of the primary schools called Party with Healthy Five. Led by a lecturer, the children learn to make a tasty and a healthy party for their friends and to have some fun at the same time. In five groups they will make a five-course cold menu and they will learn how to prepare a good table.
EN: It is to give the children an opportunity to try that a birthday party does not have to consist of the usual crisps, ice-cream and lemonade. And that they can surprise their friends by original and healthy refreshments in the preparation of which they can use their imagination.
And what about the traditional School of Healthy Five?
EN: The School of Healthy Five, program for kindergartens and the early-years primary schoolchildren naturally continue. Children play, compete, learn to tell various kinds of fruits and vegetables, they make healthy snacks and collect Fives for tasks completed.
What has been, so far, the response of schools to your new program Party with Healthy Five?
PR: It was excellent. We were surprised how eager and willing the teenagers were to join the program. Some lecturers were slightly afraid of this category but now they learn it is a pleasure to work with older people. Namely the boys are a pleasant surprise — not just by their gastronomical knowledge but by their skills and active approach to cooking.
EN: We have had great feedback from the schools and from the parents. This is a great motivation for the lecturers who naturally enjoy it to promote a project that is so popular.
How many children do take part in Healthy Five?
EN: Healthy Five breaks records again. In October when the project was started in all regions, we trained about 10,000 children. Judging by the schedule, we will maintain the same number in future, perhaps we will even exceed it. There are no such programs so Healthy Five has no direct competition, is fairly unique both in content, quality of education, materials and interactivity levels.
Are you getting more innovations ready?
PR: We are just launching a nation-wide cookery show for children in orphanages and families and this should culminate in the spring. But we will not stick just to cooking, we want to give room to child talents in other areas. We have a theatre performance for kindergarten children called A Journey to Vitamin Fairy.
Schools can apply for educational programs of Healthy Five and other projects by Albert Charity Foundations in healthy lifestyle at www.zdrava5.cz. All the projects and educational materials are provided free of charge.
