• Wellness Champions, who were school or SBHC staff, designed wellness activities to make each school environment healthier. The Champions served as a strong voice for wellness and participated in “Academies” that brought the five schools together to learn from each other about mindfulness in the classroom, working with OUSD nutrition services, engaging school wellness committees, improving physical education, and more.

• The Wellness Champion Initiative took School-Based Health Centers beyond their traditional role in the clinic and linked them to school-wide activities, positioning the centers as hubs of health on each campus. Most Wellness Champions were SBHC staff, and their focus on wellness strengthened ties between the school and the SBHC, resulting in new and deeper collaboration between the center and school staff. SBHC staff worked beyond the clinic walls, sitting on school-wide committees and infusing a health-focused perspective into school decision-making. They also worked closely with teachers to integrate health equity topics into the classroom, and worked with students to offer nutrition and physical activity classes after school.

“My focus was to make sure we were seen as part of [the school] campus, not a separate entity housed on the campus. I made sure to be a part of staff meetings, school governance council meetings, wherever I could be to let them know I’m a part of their team.” – Adult Stakeholder

• Youth leaders at each school played a key role in furthering wellness activities and educating the school community on health issues. These students developed important skills through wellness leadership groups, organizing meetings, conducting research, and building advocacy strategies based on their research findings. Many learned to present their recommendations to different audiences, from younger students to school staff and administration. One student said that participation in a wellness youth group helped her “step up and show more leadership” in school.

“One shy youth became a really powerful speaker. You could see her more involved in school, being a leader, and helping with fundraising. It also increased her self-esteem.” - Adult Stakeholder

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