Thursday 1st September: Thursday, Thursday, Gotta Get Down..

Today was a big day for the childrens team, the culmination of a whole week of planning, showcasing the material that the high school students had been working on in their leadership workshops. The plan was to go to elementary school classrooms, (grades 5 & 6) and present 15 minute 'skit' based lessons.

An early start saw the PP11 team leave the hotel to greet the students of UP Cebu and walk to the nearby Lahug Elementary School. Several 'Rudolph' remarks were mentioned (damn sunburn!!) and the sun was still shining strong.. a bit uncomfortably strongly actually..

This looks nothing like a UK primary school 

Arriving at the school we proceeded to admin and split into our assigned groups, and left to complete the task at hand - educate 5th/6th graders about hypertension! It was rather 'eye-opening' to witness what happens when you try to pack 50-60 students into one classroom.. teachers here must have the patience of a saint.

The UP kids came up with an interesting skit revolving around a father who was fulfilling all the risk factors for hypertension and its possible complications– sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, cigarettes, stress, unhealthy fatty foods, and has a heart attack. Well, 2 actually. After his first, the doctor tells him to change his ways but he doesn’t. He has another heart attack, and dies. Pretty grim for a skit targeted to elementary school kids huh? This was followed by a modified version of Jessie J’s Price Tag, called HBP² – High Blood Pressure, Healthy Body POR-EVER!

Dad looks a bit stressed...

Quite a lot of students

Quite a lot more students

After a quick lunch and a journey to Sci-high, round 2 of the elementary school education campaign began, at Labangon Elementary School. This followed much the same format as the morning session, although obviously with different lesson material. Sci-high’s skit was about Mara & Clara – 2 girls that were good friends. Mara lives healthily whereas Clara is the opposite, binging on unhealthy foods, and is at risk of hypertension. She is visited by the grim reaper who tells her if she doesn’t change her ways she will die! The song used to convey the message was called “Just Like Vegetables” - stylized to the tune of “Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars”

Mara & Clara Skit

Spot the kid thats not paying attention

POW! Right in the kisser!

After the fun but exhausting elementary school visits, it was time for more subcommittee work - Leadership subcommittee had a lot to finalize for their final workshop session the next day!
Just in case you're wondering, here's what I managed to get down for the lyrics - probably not written down perfectly but good enough for a sing-a-long!

HBP² - High Blood Pressure, Healthy Body POR-EVER (Price Tag - Jessie J)

Tell me what is high blood pressure
Learn it from our lecture
Kung maminaw ka, makat-un ka
A li na manganta kita!

Si inday nanigarilyo
Si dodong nikaog dili sakto
Wala sila y exercise, nangasakit sila
Wan-a hypertension na na!

Everybody look to the left
Everybody look to the right
Can you feel that yeah!
Hypertension is all around

Ayaw panigarilyo-rilyo^2x
Exercise og todo^3x
Say no to hypertension
Follow this prevention

Hypertension, yeah, say no say no
Hypertension, yeah, goodbye goodbye
The world will be happy
If everyone’s healthy!

Just Like Vegetables (Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars)

Saging (2x)
Daghan kaaya ug sustansya
Utan (2x)
Bata dapat mukaon ana
Kay super healthy man
Ug makagwapa pa
Jogging (2x)
Dapat ta mag-exercise permi
Softdrinks (2x)
Ayaw jud mong inom palabi
Because health is wealth
You should remember everyday
Oh, you know, you know, you know
Junkfood is bad for your health
If healthy’s what you’re looking for
Then exercise today
Oh, likayan ang mga pakaon na...
Punud asin, Yeah!

When I see those fruits
I always think that they;re so good
Cause fruits are amazing
Just like vegetables

Good job guys!