North High School recently became Bakersfield’s first Blue Zones Project Approved™ high school.  To receive a Blue Zone designation, the school must implement positive, healthy choices for students.

North High students created a Blue Zones Project club and have worked to maintain its school garden and greenhouse where fruits and vegetables are grown. Organizers have also incorporated a mindfulness space called the Music Garden where students and community members have access to outdoor musical instruments to play and yoga mats to enjoy an outdoor yoga session or meditation.

          In addition to North High, McKinley Elementary School became Bakersfield’s first Blue Zones Project Approved™ last fall for its school garden, Walking School Bus events, nutritional education, and more.

          Blue Zones Project Bakersfield is a community well-being initiative sponsored by Adventist Health, in partnership with the California Resources Corporation, City of Bakersfield and Blue Zones LLC, that is designed to enable community members to live longer, happier lives with lower rates of chronic diseases and higher quality of life. For more information on North High’s designation, please visit www.news.kern.org. To learn more about Blue Zones Project Bakersfield, visit www.bakersfield.bluezonesproject.com.