It's important to teach healthy habits to children at the earliest possible age. The BlueAnn Ewe health education program helps to accomplish this goal and lays the groundwork for healthy generations to come.

BlueAnn Ewe is the Foundation's health and wellness ambassador, and she has taught her lessons on healthy eating, exercise, bicycle safety, drug dangers, water and pool safety, not talking to strangers, and more, to over 12,000 first-graders since her debut in April 1999. Always amidst laughter, participation, demonstrations, games and fun, she teaches some valuable lessons in a format that is entertaining and engaging.

BlueAnn Ewe is a six-foot-tall blue sheep and our official health education mascot. Currently, she travels -- along with a health educator -- to elementary schools in southwest Idaho (Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell school districts).

When BlueAnn Ewe visits the elementary schools, she uses a special coloring book as a lesson guide. First-grade students interact with BlueAnn Ewe during her 30-minute presentation that's filled with all sorts of ways to learn to be healthy and safe. Each student receives a coloring book of BlueAnn's lessons to take home.

In 2002, BlueAnn Ewe's official Web site was launched, www.blueann-idaho.com. This interactive playground for kids also includes an informative section for parents and teachers. Since learning should be fun, the site focuses on activities and games where kids can test their health knowledge. The site was listed as an elementary health resource in the Idaho Department of Education's guide for teachers.

If you are the parent of a Treasure Valley first-grader, Blue Anne Ewe may be visiting your child's school. If you're a teacher and you are interested in scheduling BlueAnn for a class presentation, please contact Debbie Kushlan at 208-331-7536.