Healthy high / healthy choices take student health to new heights

Healthy High / Healthy Choices (HH/HC) was established in 2003 as part of the Healthy Community Initiative under the Stanzel Family Foundation. The Foundation envisions a community where individuals are inspired to pursue healthy lifestyles through education, accessibility, and impactful programs.

Originally, HH/HC focused on educating students about healthy eating, physical activity, and positive behaviors to help prevent conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. The program hosted day-long events at schools where students in grades K–8 received screenings for height, weight, and blood pressure. These events also featured interactive sessions with local health professionals, leading to improved understanding and behaviors related to nutrition, exercise, hygiene, bullying, respect, safety, and literacy.

Since 2021, HH/HC has evolved to meet changing community needs. While the educational component has been phased out, the program continues to provide essential student health screenings, which are now expanded to also include vision, hearing, spinal alignment, and acanthosis nigricans. The initiative also distributes “LiftPacks”, hygiene supply kits that go beyond basic needs to support student health, boost confidence, and help students feel ready and eager to come to school.

Today, HH/HC serves more than 900 students and engages over 20 volunteers and partner organizations, including nursing students from Wharton County Junior College ADN Program and Victoria College Zelda L. Allen School of Nursing LVN Program. Participating schools include St. Michael Catholic School, St. Rose Catholic School, Weimar ISD, and Schulenburg ISD.

For the 2025–2026 HH/HC program year, we experienced several meaningful full-circle moments. One of the participating Zelda L. Allen Nursing students, Leslie Sacco, is also a Stanzel Professional Scholar. “As a current Stanzel Scholar and nursing student at Victoria College’s Hallettsville campus, I was grateful for the opportunity to volunteer at the Healthy High event. The Foundation has given me so much support during my journey as an LVN student; it meant a lot to be able to give back and represent them while helping in the community.”

Leslie wasn’t the only one returning in a new way. Karsen Lacina, another Zelda L. Allen Nursing student, once participated in HH/HC as a child. “I remember doing Healthy High when I was a student at St. Michael Catholic School from pre-K through 4th grade. It was always such a fun and exciting day. Coming back now as an LVN student felt really special, to be part of something I used to look forward to as a kid.”

And in one final highlight that captured the program’s joyful spirit, twin brothers DeWayne and Dwight Hurd, both Zelda L. Allen Nursing students, met another pair of twin brothers during the event, a lighthearted connection that perfectly reflected the sense of community that HH/HC continues to build year after year.

Stories like these remind us that the true measure of impact isn’t just in the number of students served, it’s in the lives inspired to give back and carry the mission forward.

Like and share this post if you’ve ever participated or share your HH/HC favorite memory! #Healthy-HighRocks# StrongMindsStrongFutures# StanzelFamilyFoundation