Enabling students to lead the way: Healthy lifestyles and healthy futures

This article makes connections between the findings from an evaluation of the Ministry of Health’s Fruit in Schools (FiS) initiative and recent changes in the New Zealand curriculum, in particular in the Health and Physical Education (PE) learning area. It explores the rationale for actively involving students in health promotion at school and describes a range of student-led activities that are connected to the Health and PE learning area. It also explores some of the benefits and challenges of sharing decision making with students as they take action to improve the health and wellbeing environment at their school.