Seattle, Wash. — Michelle Simon, ND, PhD, president and CEO of the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM), joined a panel of experts on early health education at the Harkin on Wellness Symposium, April 3, 2024.
The Harkin Institute also recognized Naturally Well, INM’s childhood nutritional education program, as one of the leading initiatives nationwide to enhance young people’s well-being.
Youth advocates, policymakers, education leaders, teachers, and pediatricians came together at the symposium to explore evidence-based and innovative practices for protecting health and wellness in schools. Instilling habits that support mental and physical health helps offset challenges children face as they navigate a post–COVID world.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy led a fireside chat on schools’ responsibilities to address persistent mental stress. Dr. Kathy Either, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Adolescent and School Health Division, delivered the keynote speech.
While numerous strategies propose to address the national emergency in child and adolescent mental health, implementing effective solutions on a large scale is crucial. The symposium emphasized K–12 schooling as a vital avenue for establishing children’s well-being. Apart from life at home, most children spend the majority of their time at school.
Evidence suggests that structured curricula with hands-on, collaborative, and whole-health components contribute to better mental health and academic outcomes. Incorporating practices like mindfulness, gardening, and food preparation provides fundamental opportunities for learning.
INM’s partner, EJE Academies Charter School, was recognized at the Harkin Symposium for its leadership in promoting healthy lifestyle coursework. Naturally Well is part of EJE’s 3rd- and 5th-grade curricula, a model for K–12 wellness education.
About INM
The Institute for Natural Medicine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the human potential for health by promoting whole-person care enriched by nature’s medicine.
About the Harkin Institute
The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement exists to inform citizens, inspire creative cooperation, and catalyze change for social justice, fairness, and opportunity.
Media Contact
Wyn Delano
Institute for Natural Medicine
wyn@naturemed.org
