Health Rocks!® is curricula for a healthy living program targeted at young people ages 8 to 14. Health Rocks! helps youth develop life skills in the area of critical thinking, decision-making, communication, managing feelings, stress management and goal setting; in turn building resiliency skills, and promoting the resistance of risky behaviors.
The program focuses on youth-adult partnerships, engaging young people and adults together as teachers within their communities. nnHealth Rocks! strives to:
•Reduce youth smoking and tobacco use.
•Develop life skills that lead to healthy lifestyle choices.
•Help youth understand influences and health consequences of tobacco, drug, and alcohol use
•Engage youth and adults in partnership to develop and implement community strategies that promote healthy lifestyle choices.
•Build positive, enduring relationships with youth involved as full partners through widely varying "communities of interest" to address youth risk behaviors.
Delivering Lasting Impact
Over 171,000 youth have been reached through Health Rocks since 2010. Each youth experienced 10 hours or more of educational programming.
Following Health Rocks! programs:
•96% of youth reported they could help other teens resist alcohol and drugs.
•Over 90% of youth reported they can stand up for what they believe in.
•90% of youth reported they gained knowledge of negative consequences.
•94% of youth reported knowing that once a person is hooked on drugs, it is hard to stop.
•95% of youth participants demonstrated social competency, volunteerism, self-confidence, and strong values.
About 4-H
4-H is a community of young people, ages 5-19, across America, learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. As the nation’s largest youth development organization, 4-H reaches more than 6 million 4-H youth in urban neighborhoods, suburban schoolyards and rural farming communities who stand out among their peers: building revolutionary opportunities and implementing community-wide change at an early age. 4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential working and learning in partnership with caring adults. 4-H is education for life that uses a learn-by-doing approach.