“A sound mind in a sound body is a short but full description of a happy man in this world”, a meaningful statement by a great man of wisdom, John Locke. The line vividly implies that the true essence of happiness is not dependent on tangible possessions rather what matter the most is “within” a person. This “within” tackles about the significance of health as referred to as our first wealth. In response to left and right campaigns that advocates the value of good health the most famous and influential among these is the yearly and nationwide “Nutrition Month Celebration” which happens every month of July in a given year. This year’s theme “Kumain ng Wasto at maging Aktibo.. Push natin to” became so powerful. It reminds everyone that activeness is a product of having healthy lifestyle and we can achieve that through eating the right kinds of foods. Also, the tagline encourages the involvement of everyone to support the campaign for a wide range of awareness. 

           This year’s Nutrition Month theme motivated Pascual Villanueva Elementary School to organize exciting, relevant and spectacular activities that ignited the knowledge of every learner, teacher, school personnel and parent to “push” healthy lifestyles. PVES held a month long celebration through series of fun activities. Every successful task must start in a thorough planning as what the school did. During our planning stage, our Master Teachers, Home Economics Coordinator, School Nurse and School Principal gathered together to discuss the best activities that the school may offer to the learners. The meeting lasted for couple of hours and it was a fruitful brainstorming among the heads. They agreed to provide each grade level friendly competitions that will awake the learners’ creativeness, talents and passion for arts, skill tasks and stage performances.

             The first Friday of July was the kick-off parade which marked the opening of a month long Nutrition Month Celebration. The morning gloomy weather turned into colorful and festive ambiance when the learners modeled their stylish fruity costume and headdresses. It was a parade that showcases the varieties of fruits and vegetables our body needs in order to be active. After parade, everybody attended the ground program wherein an energizer through zumba dance was given to freshen up the sleeping muscles. To make the event more memorable the last part of the program was class pictorials wherein every sweet smile of a learner depicted that the activity provided happiness to everyone. During afternoon of the same day, a meeting cum seminar spearheaded by the school nurse, Michelle Yutero, was held.With parents as audience, Nurse Michelle discussed the significance of vaccination to the growing years of every child. The seminar aimed to spread awareness among responsible parents to let their children have vaccine shot to help them battle in every day health risks.

               The second week of July provided kinder and grade one learners a venue to express their ideas about good nutrition through art.These young minds created masterpieces that enlightened people to value their health.

                On the third week, Nutri-tula and Nutri- Jingle contest were held. Nutri- tula was performed and battled by grade two learners while the Nutri- Jingle was between grade three classes. Every group showed a well conceptualized performance powered with mesmerizing costumes.

                 July 31, 2019 was the much awaited culminating program of the Nutrition Month Celebration of Pascual Villanueva Elementary School. Everybody gathered at PVES ground to witness sets of performances by the talented learners of the institution. Our very supportive and highly intelligent school principal, Lea M. Marcelo, delivered an inspirational message during the culminating activity. She highlighted the true essence of Nutrition Month Celebration, how it must affect our lifestyles. To live healthy and proactive is very important. The audiences were imparted with numerous ways and reasons to live healthy. She emphasizes that everyone is responsible with his or her health. And through working together, PUSHING together, everyday will be ACTIVE and HEALTHY because our “First wealth is always our Health”- Ralph Waldo Emerson.