Lessons on the basketball court, and lessons in staying healthy, were part of a special day at the PAL Center in Wilmington Tuesday.
It was the return of Healthy Hoops.
(speaking in the video: Kevin Faison of AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware; Andre, a student in the Brandywine School District)
Local coaches put middle- and high-school students through basketball drills. Information was also shared about conditions such as asthma, which is a growing problem affecting young people in Delaware.
“The experience they have, they have the opportunity to get excitement, they learn about basketball, they learn about asthma and how to treat asthma. They also have the opportunity to learn about sportsmanship as well as being involved with some of the local basketball coaches,” AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware Director of Member Engagement Kevin Faison said.
The educational activity, including quizzes, took place in a mobile wellness center dedicated by AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware, a Medicaid health plan, earlier this year. Faison said the vehicle is a community resource that goes from place to place and offers information about breast cancer, lead screenings, body-mass index, blood pressure, and offering ways to deal with problems such as food insecurity or housing insecurity.
Asthma in particular disproportionately impacts the Black community.
Elected officials also turned out to wish the kids well in the upcoming school year, including Mayor Mike Purzycki, Governor John Carney and State Representative Kerri Evelyn Harris of Dover.