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Healthy Young People Empowerment (HYPE) is a youth leadership program that trains youth to be advocates for health in their community. HYPE focuses on improving physical activity and healthy eating through policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change projects. Youth are encouraged to use the skills they learn to become lifelong advocates for their community. Contact us to learn more about bringing HYPE to your parish.
Rural communities face a unique set of challenges when it comes to improving bike and pedestrian infrastructure. To address some of these challenges, the LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities team hosts a biennial Louisiana Rural Complete Streets Summit to help rural communities navigate creating a complete streets plan and securing funding. The next summit will take place in 2024.
Learn more about the Louisiana Rural Complete Streets Summit
In a walk audit, a group of people identify barriers that exist for getting safely from one place to another by foot, bike, or wheelchair. In addition to providing several walk audit assessment forms, the LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities program can offer technical assistance and expertise from physical activity specialists and Extension agents in eligible parishes. Contact us to learn how we can support a walk audit in your community.
Play Streets are popup play events that take place in temporarily closed streets, open fields, or parking lots for a specified time period (around 3-5 hours). Play Streets offer physical activity opportunities for children in under-resourced communities that lack safe parks and playgrounds by creating a safe, publicly accessible space for children, adolescents, and families to engage in active play. Contact us to learn how we can support Play Streets in your community!
The LSU AgCenter uses stencils to create colorful, painted play spaces that provide no-cost opportunities for physical activity. Stencils promote exercise while also enhancing community spaces with a playful element. Stencils can be placed on concrete at schools, child care centers, libraries, parks, community centers, and other public areas. Contact us to find out if your site is eligible for stenciling.
Several organizations play a role in making communities more walkable and bikeable. If you are interested in pursuing active transportation developments in your community, use our Louisiana Active Transportation Contacts Tool to find out who to contact in your parish.
A StoryWalk® is an outdoor reading experience where pages from a children’s book are placed on outdoor signage along a walking route or trail. StoryWalks® promote literacy, encourage physical activity, and bring people to locations where StoryWalks® are installed. Contact us today to find out how we can help you bring StoryWalks® to your community!
From simple stretches to split squats, this series of videos from the Live Healthy Houma coalition covers a wide range of exercises suitable for parks. Whether you're a beginner or advanced fitness enthusiast, these videos are sure to provide the perfect guidance for your park exercise routine.
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture