News Release
May 15, 2008
Healthy eating takes center stage with help from HMSA
Shannon Kinoshita
(808) 952-7989
shannon_kinoshita@hmsa.com
Healthy living took center stage in East Oahu, as a group of fourth grade students
at John H. Wilson Elementary School performed the musical, “You are What You
Eat.”
The musical is a collaboration between the Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA)
and the Alliance for Drama Education (ADE), and is based on HMSA’s eat
healthy Campaign.
“You are What You Eat” uses song, dance and drama to explore the many
food choices children face each day. Through their rehearsals and performance, students
learn about the benefits of proper nutrition in a creative and fun way.
Over the past eight days, a professional artist-educator from ADE completed a teaching
residency at Wilson Elementary. Artist-educators led students in theater exercises
and rehearsals to help increase drama appreciation in the classroom, as well as
raise awareness of healthy eating choices. The artist-educator and students’
work culminated in today’s musical, performed at school for classmates, teachers
and parents.
Besides Wilson Elementary, ADE artist-educators will partner with nine other schools
across Oahu to work with students (4th, 5th or 6th graders). HMSA and ADE will also
distribute a workbook and DVD of the performance to Neighbor Island schools.
ADE is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to stimulate, develop and refine youngsters’
cognitive and creative skills by using drama education to achieve DOE standards.
HMSA is a nonprofit, mutual benefit association founded in Hawaii in 1938. It is
governed by a community board of directors that includes representatives from health
care, business, labor, government, education, clergy, and the community at large.
HMSA is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Nationally,
HMSA and 38 other Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans provide worldwide coverage to
nearly 100 million members.
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