Henry Lord Middle School held its first Family Fun Night on May 30, 2012 to engage both students and their parents in some healthy fun while learning about nutrition and a range of community resources that they can access to maintain or improve their health. Participants were offered a cooking demonstration by staff from UMass Extension Nutrition Education Project, a Zumba class by Soklim Chhean, as well as the chance to speak with representatives of agencies including Southcoast Hospitals' Cardiovascular Prevention Program, Seven Hills Behavioral Health, Project Assist, United Neighbors of Fall River, and Partners for a Healthier Community, which was beginning its Soda-Free Summer Challenge. Click here for an eleven-minute video of the event. For more information, contact Claudia Costa at Henry Lord Middle School at 508-675-8208 or School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard st 774-319-0107.

(Top row, left) Henry Lord School Principal Sheryl Biss addresses over 100 parents and children gathered for the first Family Fun Night at the School. (Top row, center) Parent Support Coordinator Claudia Costa, Special Ed teacher Michael Thornton, and Math Coach Sheryl Patterson talk with the greeters at the sign-in table. (Top row, right) School Administrator Robin Thorpe gives instructions to the participants before they break into three groups to go to the different activities. (Row two) Zumba instructor Soklim Chhean leads one of the three groups in some heart-healthy exercise. (Row four) Sue Loughlin and Lindsay McGann of the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Project teach a group how to make a healthy Mediterranean couscous salad. (Row four) Participants talk with a number of agency representatives while Donna Querim and Amanda Raposo of the Southcoast Hospital Cardiovascular Prevention Program offer free blood screenings to adults and information to eighth-graders Miranda Morgan, Anita Hoe and Mataya Blakney. (Bottom row) Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard talks with third-grader Dominec Casimiro about the Soda-Free Summer Challenge before seventh-grader Dylan Landry receives a new bicycle helmet in the drawing at the end of the evening.