DerekJeter.com: The Official Site of Derek Jeter and the Turn 2 Foundation

Turn 2 Us Healthy Lifestyles
School-based mental health promotion and prevention program

• 2008-09 Turn 2 Us Program Highlights »

In June 2001, Turn 2 Us was created as a collaborative effort between Public School 128M of Washington Heights, Morgan Stanley's Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian and Derek Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation. The Foundation chose to demonstrate its commitment to the community by supporting the implementation of a program that would promote healthy lifestyles and leadership among its elementary-age children and their families.

Through this collaborative effort, the Healthy Schools Healthy Families Initiative evolved. In 2007, the program expanded to include Public School 4M. The promotion of overall well-being is achieved via a holistic approach that encompasses mental health, educational support, physical activity and nutrition, leading to the development of healthier minds and bodies.

Mission

Turn 2 Us believes that the promotion of physical and mental well being is vital at an early age in order to prevent at-risk behavior. Through a holistic approach the program enables the school community at PS 4M & PS 128M to internalize healthy lifestyles that lead to social, emotional, and physical well being. The staff is committed to achieving this mission through an array of interventions and services specifically tailored to the students, families and school staff of the school community.

On-site, school-based health initiatives
Turn 2 Us/HSHF is a school-based collaboration where health professionals partner with school staff and community organizations to assess the needs of children and their families; then mobilize resources to address those needs for two elementary schools in Northern Manhattan.

Goals

1. Promote Mental Health Literacy so that school staff is better able to identify and refer students who are at risk for developing a mental health disorder such as depression, separation anxiety, post traumatic stress.
2. In partnership with the school community provide higher level of intervention services to targeted at-risk students while also promoting wellness to students from the general population.
3. Heighten Turn 2 Us participants' health consciousness, self confidence, self esteem, perseverance and positive decision-making processes in order to foster academic and social excellence.
4. Provide an array of services and cultivate a school-wide culture that embraces healthy lifestyle behaviors that leads to mental & physical well-being in students, families, and staff.

2010-11 Program Highlights

• Provided a five-week Sports & Arts Summer Camp Program to 40 students. Students engaged in art, sports, dance, nutrition classes and cultural and educational trips.
• Provided a three-week sleep-away summer camp opportunity to 35 students.
• In the fall, a six-week seminar was provided to all fourth- and fifth-grade classroom teachers entitled "Strengthen the Art of Communication."
• Facilitated an annual Father-Child Night Event at PS 128 & PS 4 with nearly 50-60 families in attendance per site.
• Extended the basketball & baseball league to two additional schools in Washington Heights (PS 28M and PS 48) and served approximately 120 students from PS 128, PS 4, PS 28, PS 48, PS 132, PS 192, PS 173, and PS 325.
• Provided intervention activities designed to mediate the school-age related stressors and address the social/emotional needs of our target population.