The Pearl River County School District will hold its first ever health night on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007, from 6 until 8 p.m. in the Pearl River Central High School cafeteria.

PRCHS School Nurse Carla Penton said in a phone interview Monday that the health fair is for all students and their families within the Pearl River County School District.

“We will be providing health screenings such as blood pressure and cholesterol screenings by various volunteer vendors,” Penton said.

The health night is sponsored by the school district’s health council, which is composed of various teachers, coaches, nurses, administrators, parents and community leaders, Penton said.

“We want to get the families to know the health services that are out there for our students and their families. It’s a way for them to get themselves screened and to find out what health opportunities are available,” said School Board President Margie Creel.

Penton said there are more than 30 vendors that will be participating in the health night, including local doctors, hospitals, churches, businesses and various county health programs.

“All the vendors are volunteering their time. It’s completely a volunteer effort,” Penton said.

Penton said she is employed at the school through the Healthy Lifestyles grant, which is a grant that was awarded to the school to focus on the childhood obesity epidemic.

“My job is to promote health among our student, employee, family and community populations. The health night is an effort to bring all of these people together for one night to focus on the importance of good health,” Penton said.

Penton said the health night is part of an effort to help students and their families get healthy and remain healthy during the students school careers.

“We believe at PRC that a healthy child is better suited for academic success,” Penton said.