Fall River elementary school teachers attended the second Children In Balance training on September 1, 2009, to prepare them to teach children in grades one through three how to eat nutritiously and to play actively. The program was provided by Tufts University, which is replicating its successful Shape Up Somerville childhood obesity prevention project in Fall River during a two-year study. The program uses a holistic approach to influence choices that families make when grocery shopping, dining out and selecting family activities. The program also works closely with the UMass Extension nutrition education program to bring nutrition and fitness education into classrooms. The session included a session on stress management for teaching staff presented by Dr. Alice D. Domar of the Mind/Body Center for Women's Health in Boston. Click here for photos of last year's training session. For further information about the project, contact Ms. Picard at 508-324-2228.

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(Top row, left and right) UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program Director Pat Bebo describes the goals of the classroom education component and answers a question posed by Karin Wood. (Top row, center) Children In Balance Project Manager Marcia Picard describes some of the successes of the program during its first year of operation. (Middle row, left) Teachers Mikeline Sullivan and Linda Santos chat during the break. (Middle row, right) Ms. Picard gets feedback on the program from the teachers. (Bottom row, left and right) Fall River Health and Human Services Director Dr. Henry Vaillancourt chats with Dr. Alice D. Domar about some of their previous work with the Promoting Prevention program in Fall River during the 1980s before her presentation on stress management to the group. (Bottom row, center) Ms. Picard thanks the group for their participation as Bridgid Junot, Research Assistant from Tufts, listens.