The word
stands for the 
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ecisions for better health and works upon the foundation of leadership and leading oneself into making healthy decisions. The program helps coach students into becoming effective self-leaders by teaching them the skills and principles necessary to make healthy decisions. In addition, the curriculum strives to develop a student’s self-concept to make healthy life-style choices regardless of extrinsic factors such as things, people, peer pressure, and constant media bombardment.
Students can often influence students to a greater degree than adults. Students often reject positive health practices because they “feel fine” or want to “experience” what their peers are talking about from what to eat or drink, to nicotine, drugs and alcohol. When students learn to lead themselves into making healthy decisions, their friends will be influenced to also start thinking about or making positive changes themselves. Leaders are also seen as “cool” and good or bad, others look up to them. Therefore, leadership can be an effective method to influence others toward better nutrition, physical activity, and social and emotional wellness.
For better or worse, you get good at what you practice. When you practice knowledge, you develop behavior. The Powermid curriculum gives students the knowledge and opportunities to practice making healthy lifestyle choices. Once students achieve success, self-efficacy begins to build (or the self-confidence needed to lead themselves toward better health). Better health and nutrition practices will produce an internal character that wants to be congruent in other areas of life leading to a greater capacity to say no to drugs and the like. Once students believe that they are in control of their decisions they will gain the self-confidence and simultaneous identity (self-concept) to become an effective leader.
Leadership Academy
