Previous Story Heart Education Program Sarah Watkins - "I learned eating healthy is better than eating a lot of junk." 12-year-old Sarah Watkins is getting the message, the message that taking care of your heart begins when you're still young at heart. She and her classmates at Sacred Heart academy in Bloomfield Hills are some of the more than 600-thousand school kids in metro Detroit learning about heart disease this month. 78-school districts are taking advantage of the program put together by the American Heart Association. Angie Saylor/Teacher - "We started off with a nutrition quiz, and it was clear the kids were not making healthy choices." An astonishing four out of ten Michigan children have high cholesterol. And one in three Michigan kids is overweight. The question is: Will kids take this lesson to heart? Lauren Battista/sixth grader - "I was eating pizza all the time. Now I'm eating less junk." Adrienne Mcneary/sixth grader -"I learned it was bad to drink pop everyday. I make sure I drink a lot of water now." And teachers are finding an unexpected bonus from the program. Kids aren't the only ones getting the heart-healthy lesson. Angie Saylor/Teacher - "We are educating parents. The students take this information home with them, and parents make changes in their home." Sarah Watkins/sixth grader - "When I go shopping, I still ask for some junk food. But I also ask for healthy snacks that I enjoy." Home | Upcoming Stories | Previous Stories |Survey | About Healthy Living | E-Mail