Students combat obesity in South Los Angeles



There is an empty park in South Los Angeles. Tall fences surround its perimeter, the gates are locked, and the sign above the padlock states that community members must get a permit to enter. It does not give information about how to obtain that permit.

The surrounding community is literally locked out of this park, a place that could facilitate exercise and physical activity.

This park is just one of the many resources denied to South Los Angeles residents, and the area’s students are fed up.

Twenty students from the Accelerated School teamed up with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in August 2008 to spread awareness about obesity in their community. A similar program was established in Baldwin Park. Their means: a social networking website called We’re Fed Up. [Read more…]