What if the SWAT team never practiced?

Maybe the sheriff could just send out memos every few months reminding them what to do in case they’re called.

They could study maps of schools and buildings, there’s really no need for practicing.

Also, fire fighters have enough to do, and they get plenty of practice putting out fires.

Let’s save money and cancel training for them, too. I’m sure they’ll be able to figure out what to do if something out of the ordinary happens.

OK, we all know these are ridiculous suggestions.

We even have school kids practice tornado and fire drills on a regular basis, and most of us will never face one of those situations.

Yet how often do we help kids to practice and train to make healthy life decisions — something we have to face every day?

Even on things as basic as food, we as adults too often take the easy way out and choose less-healthy options for them.

Do as I say, not as I do?

There’s enough of that out there in the media without our help.

In fact, rather than take responsibility for providing less-healthy food choices, one consumer watchdog group is even threatening a lawsuit against McDonalds.

They allege that Happy Meal toys are to blame for obesity in children.

I guess the kids all have their own money and transportation; no adults are involved.

Kids not only need the knowledge and access to healthier life choices, they need practice doing it.

Two Newton County 4-H’ers and a volunteer leader are working to make this a reality.

Senior 4-H’er Cati Aevaliotis, a sophomore at Alcovy High, concentrates her 4-H project work in health and nutrition.

Last spring she heard about the statewide Health Rocks! ambassador program, where teams of youth and adults receive training and grant funding to educate other youth in their communities.

She was joined by freshman Michelle Lewis and volunteer leader Laura Aevaliotis, a teacher at Oak Hill Elementary, to create the Newton County 4-H Health Rocks! team.

The team attended a two-day intensive training at Rock Eagle 4-H Center to learn the anti-drug, alcohol and tobacco curriculum, then returned to start planning for last week’s day camp.

Twenty-three 4-H’ers, age 9 to 16, attended the week-long camp.

In addition to the 12.5 hours of 4-H Health Rocks! training and activities, youth also learned about 4-H events and exercised (disguised as play time, recreation, and dancing).

Older 4-H’ers and adult leaders taught poultry judging, Forestry Field Day, Cotton Bowl and Consumer Jamboree and Project Achievement.

They also led activities on packing a healthy lunch, making healthy snacks like smoothies and trail mix, line dancing, square dancing, crafts and singing.

You may have seen us as we walked to and from the square or Academy Springs Park.

On the first walking field trip, some of the youth seemed to believe we were going to melt from the heat.

Many admitted that they would probably be inside, doing some stationary activity like video games if they had not been at camp.

Activities focused on getting youth not only to know how to make good choices, but actually to get out there and do it.

In 4-H Health Rocks! lessons, youth were actively learning. One activity asked them to come up with reactions to someone offering a beer.

Each youth voted on their top answers, then groups acted out scenarios using each answer.

Their top five answers were: tell them you don’t have to drink beer to be cool, say "I’m the driver!," find new friends, tell them they’re not a real friend and tell them you’re allergic to beer.

While there was a lot of laughter as they put together and acted out skits, this activity allowed youth to actively consider situations which may happen to them in the future and practice how they’ll respond.

It’s not a one-time training: our ambassador team will continue to reach out to local youth throughout the year.

Want the ambassadors to visit your group? Give me a call, and they’d love to bring 4-H Health Rocks! to you.

Health Rocks! teaches youth to develop life skills of critical thinking, decision-making, communication, managing feelings, stress management and goal setting, and also provides accurate health information.