Each year, the state of Colorado asks public schools to administer the Healthy Kids Survey to random students at their schools in an effort to monitor student behavior in a variety of health categories.  Some Greeley West students took that survey last week.

Questions on the survey included food-eating habits, drug and alcohol consumption, and sexual behaviors.

The Healthy Kids Survey results are used to monitor changing trends in student behavior.  For instance, questions in the past couple of years have included the new unhealthy craze of vaping.  It’s through surveys like this one where the media gets its information that vaping has increased by 25 percent.

Parents were given an opportunity to have their kids opt out of the survey, but only a minuscule amount actually did.

The Healthy Kids Survey is state-wide and there are around 4,000,000 students across the state take that take part.  “We take the survey during homeroom class so students don’t have to miss class during the day,” Principal Mr. Jeff Cranson said.

Five homerooms from each grade level were randomly chosen to participate.  Cranson said it impacts kids every three years or so.