The mission of The Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute is to encourage the development of healthy-functioning children and families through “evidence-based practices.” After the publication of Promoting Healthy Weight for Young Children: A Blueprint for Preventing Early Childhood Obesity in North Carolina by the North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) in 2013, The Puckett Institute was asked by the Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Task Force (ECOP) of the NCIOM to partner with the NC Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW). Their collective goal was to survey the colleges within North Carolina to determine the current curricula of early childhood health. As a UNCA student, I was recruited to collect and organize online data concerning the Early Childhood Education coursework from NC community colleges. Based on this information, an online analysis will be conducted and then a survey created to send to the colleges. We intended to learn the current health-related requirements in the field of Early Childhood Education, compare each college’s requirements, and perhaps find where potential improvements can be made in regards to childhood obesity prevention. Through my research thus far, I have realized how NC community colleges can vary in Early Childhood Education requirements and the importance of analyzing those differences. The impact of this project has great potential revising how Early Childhood educators instill healthy lifestyle changes in their young student’s lives. The value of community collaboration is undeniable when a common goal is shared of improving the health of our community beginning with birth.
