Healthier Teachers for Healthier Schools: National HEPA Olympics Workshop Promotes Wellbeing and Active Lifestyles
On 20–21 February 2026, the Association Sport for All Suceava (AJSPT Suceava) organized the national workshop “Healthy Lifestyle for Wellbeing – Nutrition, Hydration and Integrating HEPA into Everyday Life” in Durău, Neamț County, as part of the European HEPA Olympics (HEPA-O) project.
The event brought together 44 participants, primarily teachers and HEPA-O Ambassadors from the 12 partner schools in Suceava County. Representing a wide range of educational disciplines and institutions, participants shared a common goal: strengthening their competencies in health promotion, physical activity, nutrition, hydration, and wellbeing education.
Two Days Dedicated to Health, Movement, and Wellbeing
Designed as an immersive professional development experience, the workshop combined expert-led sessions, practical activities, collaborative learning, and the exchange of good practices among educators.
Throughout the two-day programme, participants explored key topics essential for maintaining both personal wellbeing and educational performance, including:
- healthy nutrition and its role in supporting physical and mental health;
- proper hydration and its impact on energy, concentration, and productivity;
- integrating Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) into daily routines;
- teacher wellbeing and mental health;
- micro-interventions for increasing energy, attention, and emotional regulation in schools;
- practical HEPA exercises and active breaks;
- innovative educational methods for promoting healthy lifestyles among students and school communities.
Teachers also engaged in collaborative planning sessions, developing concrete ideas and action plans for implementing HEPA initiatives within their own schools.
Practical Tools for Lasting Change
The workshop provided participants with a wide range of HEPA-O educational resources and training materials designed to support long-term behavioural change and institutional development.
A highlight of the event was the presentation “HEPA & Wellbeing – Micro-interventions for Teachers, Major Impact for Students,” which demonstrated how small, consistent changes in daily school routines can generate significant benefits for both teachers and students.
Participants also gained access to practical resources focused on nutrition, hydration, emotional wellbeing, and the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles.
Building a Community of HEPA Ambassadors
Bringing together educators from 12 different schools created valuable opportunities for networking and peer learning, while also presenting the challenge of adapting HEPA principles to diverse educational contexts and subject areas.
The workshop reinforced the growing network of HEPA Ambassadors, empowering teachers to become agents of change within their institutions and local communities. Participants were encouraged to implement HEPA micro-interventions in their daily teaching practice and to promote movement, healthy eating, and emotional wellbeing across school environments.
The dissemination of workshop materials, continuous exchange of good practices, and ongoing collaboration within the HEPA-O community ensure that the impact of the event extends far beyond the two-day programme.
Investing in the Health of Teachers and Students
HEPA Olympics is built on a simple yet powerful idea: healthy and active teachers inspire healthy and active students.
By investing in teacher wellbeing and professional development, the project contributes to the creation of school environments where movement, health, and wellbeing become integral parts of everyday life.
Through initiatives such as this national workshop, AJSPT Suceava continues to promote a vision of education in which teachers serve as role models, schools become active communities, and healthier lifestyles are embedded in the culture of learning.
HEPA Olympics – Active Teachers, Active Schools, Healthy Communities!
