Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim continues taking the project +Sport +Health to the school community, organizing a second action of this initiative, this time dedicated to the topic “Smart decisions” in adolescence. The session took place in the auditorium of Escola Básica Aver-o-Mar (second and third cycles of education), last February 26, counting with the participation of about 80 eight-graders in an activity combining education for health, reflection, and interaction with the youths. Similarly to the first action of the project , Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim and Varzim Sport Club teamed up in another initiative to promote health and health literacy near the school population. The action was conducted by Sandra Ferreira, nurse specialist in maternal health and obstetrics, guiding students in a reflection on the importance of making conscious and responsible decisions. Along approximately one hour, and resorting to examples from everyday life, the youths were encouraged to reflect on the consequences of their choices, having approached multiple relevant themes in adolescence, among which: Acknowledgement and management of emotions. Importance of healthy relationships based on respect and consent. Influence of peer pressure in individual choices. Prevention of risk behaviour, namely alcohol and tobacco/vaping consumption. Digital safety, cyberbullying, and content sharing online. Through a simple and visual tool, the “Health Stoplight”, students were asked to identify behaviours and situations from daily life: red (stopping to identify risk situations), yellow (thinking and reflecting on consequences), and green (choosing safe and responsible behaviours). The session was concluded with the collective commitment of students, reinforcing the message that every youth has an active role in the protection of his physical and emotional health. Sport as a positive example The presence of Varzim Sport Club athletes and the institutional mascots Lu and Tarrote contributed to make it a more engaging session, reinforcing values such as responsibility, respect, and team spirit. These interventions help to bring health messages closer to youth reality, showing that sport can also be a model of positive choice and healthy lifestyle. The Hospital da Luz Póvoa de Varzim project +Sport +Health , will continue developing actions near schools of the region, enhancing the connection between hospital, educational community, and sport clubs, and promoting healthy lifestyles from an early age.
