Believing that children learn better when they are healthy, Providence Hospitals and a group of committed community citizens established Healthy Learners in 1992 to help alleviate health related barriers to learning that face economically disadvantaged children.
Currently, five Healthy Learners programs serve 148 schools in 10 school districts across South Carolina.
A ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System, Healthy Learners’ services include vision care, dental care, hearing evaluations, assistance with prescription medications, clinical counseling and episodic care for other health concerns. Throughout the years, thousands of children have received health care services statewide and thousands of miles have been traveled while transporting children to their health care appointments.
Healthy Learners’ program evaluation outcome measures have documented a significant number of children with health status improvement, increased self-esteem and improved ability to perform academically in school. Not only have Healthy Learners' children improved their academic performance, the immense health disparities that economically disadvantaged children face are narrowing.
Learn more at www.healthylearners.com.
2749 LAUREL STREET
COLUMBIA, SC 29204
P: 803 454 0350
WWW.HEALTHYLEARNERS.COM
AMY SPLITTGERBER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
HEALTHY LEARNERS
Amy Splittgerber became the executive director of Healthy Learners in 2019. She has more than 20 years of experience in public health, including serving as the founding director for two non-profit organizations focused on fostering sustainable, healthy communities. She previously was the founding executive director of the SC Alliance of YMCAs, providing support to 20 YMCA associations in statewide initiatives, engaging in state and national advocacy, and developing partnerships with organizations and state agencies. She also founded Eat Smart, Move More South Carolina, where she managed a budget of $1.6 million while creating local healthy eating and active living coalitions across the state and engaging more than 1,000 partners and organizations in best practices.
Recent Blog Posts
September 11, 2023
Healthy Learners to host two Songwriters in the Round fundraising events
Healthy Learners is hosting two Nashville Songwriters in the Round fundraising events in October. Songwriters in the Round is an intimate and music-filled fundraiser directly supporting the mission of removing children's health barriers to learning. The event features four Nashville singer-songwriters, all of whom have received high acclaim in the music industry for their song-writing mastery with chart-topping artists as well as individual industry success. Presented "in the round" with special attention dedicated to the seating layout, each guest has the opportunity to experience artists in an up-close and inspiring way.
August 17, 2023
News19: Healthy Learners helps bridge gap in vision care for children in South Carolina Midlands
Many children might face difficulty seeing the board in classrooms as the school year gets underway. Parents who are underinsured or uninsured might find vision exams costly. The Healthy Learners program in the South Carolina Midlands hopes to close that financial gap for children by coordinating care, transportation to appointments and helping parents with the Medicaid application process. The program is partnered with local school districts to assist families with health services such as vision, dental and hearing. News19 WLTX in Columbia, South Carolina, highlighted Healthy Learners in a story about the importance of getting a child's vision checked.
July 20, 2023
Florence Morning News reports on Healthy Learners partnering with Boys & Girls Club to conduct dental and vision screenings
Healthy Learners recently conducted dental and vision screenings at the Boys & Girls Club in Florence, South Carolina, to identify any potential oral and visual health issues that may be barriers to children’s learning. This was the first step in Healthy Learners working to expand into the Florence area. The Florence Morning News reported on the event.
July 10, 2023
Healthy Learners: Inspiring hope, transforming futures
Healthy Learners exists to inspire hope in order to transform futures. That was the consensus reached when the Healthy Learners team recently embarked on a reflective journey, delving into the "why" that fuels each of them every morning. Read the ministry's latest newsletter to learn how Healthy Learners is inspiring hope in order to transform futures, how the staff are busy throughout the school break engaging communities served and more.