Kennedy Krieger High School Career and Technology Center, a co-educational special education program serving students aged 14 – 21, completed a 14-week walking and community service program designed to encourage wellness and community service. The program, which concluded this weekend, was funded by a UnitedHealth HEROES grant initiative to encourage children and communities across the nation to choose healthy lifestyles.
Kennedy Krieger High School Career and Technology Center, which is Maryland State Department of Education accredited, was among nearly 200 schools and community-based nonprofit organizations across the nation that received UnitedHealth HEROES grants of up to $1,000 to develop to youth-led programs that include both an activity element, in which kids count their steps, and a service component that increases awareness, provides direct service, enables advocacy on behalf of a cause, or features youth philanthropy around the issue of childhood obesity. A total of out of $175,000 in grants were awarded nationally. UnitedHealth HEROES projects began on January 21 on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and ended on April 26-28, which is the weekend of the nationally-recognized Global Youth Service Day.
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As part of their program, Kennedy Krieger students walked along the Northern Central Railroad Trail in Baltimore County and cleaned litter and debris. Students used pedometers to track the distance they traveled and logged information in a weekly journal to track improvement over the course of the program. The project allowed students to work and exercise in a team environment and provided opportunity to develop community engagement, workforce readiness skills and self-advocacy, which are of particular importance for students with disabilities.
