Students learn about healthy living with President Simon

Green and gold balloons lined the front porch of the president’s house as a winding line of students awaited the start of the Simon Says event — a Peer Health Adviser co-sponsored program that aimed to teach about healthy habits and good nutrition for National Public Health Week.

The week is meant to promote healthy living choices among the U.S. population. The Peer Health Adviser program at Lehigh organized the event to show its support of the nationwide week of awareness.

President John Simon welcomed individuals to his home and said he felt specifically inclined to host the event at his house because he believes understanding healthy habits are immensely important.

“Your health and nutrition are important because you’re really in it for the long run,” Simon said, “and establishing good habits needs to start early on.”

His dedication to being involved in the student population’s well-being made the event very personal to him. Many students lined up to get their pictures with the president on his front porch with props mocking Instagram filters.

The event featured healthy snacks, games and activities.

That the event was held at the president’s house was a bonus for students like Kacie Bogar, ’19.

“We came because we wanted to show our support for the event and it was really cool of President Simon to have it at his own house,” Bogar said. “We’re hoping to meet him.”

Each student got to walk through the first floor of Simon’s home, where the first 250 attendees were awarded with free tank tops, Frisbees and draw-string bags. Prizes were supplied by the Peer Health Advisers, who promote physical activity on campus with these giveaways.

Upon exiting the house, students were asked to sign pledges stating ways in which they will eat healthier and be more active. People became more conscious of their current health practices and pledged to be mindful of their health by trying to engage in activities like walking instead of taking the bus up the hill.

Snacks such as fruit smoothies, health bars, sandwiches, popcorn, pretzels and tea were supplied to show students the wide array of healthy options that exist. Students lined up as spinach and berry smoothies were made by the Peer Health Advisers.

The event continued outside as groups of friends had refreshments and snacks on Simon’s patio and lawn. Long tables dressed in white cloth held healthy dinner options for the student population. Trays of burgers, pierogies and vegetables were also open to consumption.

Sana Ali, ’17, said her motivation for attending the National Public Health Week event was to get excited about being healthy.

“I think that being healthy is something people assume is important, but people rarely do anything about,” Ali said. “This event actually makes people aware and excited about taking care of their own health.”