More accessibility. There needs to be a bigger incentive for health insurance companies to cover all types of mental illness instead of having restrictions for types of treatments and prescription or nonprescription medicines. Mental illness goes back hundreds of years and the treatments back them were ridiculous and not helpful. This is not a new disease and treating it as a stage or anything else is more damaging to an individual than it is helpful. Giving patients more access to mental health facilities and allowing their insurance to cover online sessions as well. Create more apps with certified therapists and psychologists who can help them without them being charged out-of-pocket fees. That way when these professionals sign up for the app the insurances pay them out according to how successfully they maintain their patients well being. Not just being able to load up their schedules with multiple clients that they might not even fully helping.

I would have to say going back to school at my age. I just turned 45 and was able to graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. This experience taught me that I was able to push myself beyond my limits. Whether it came from the workouts we had to plan and accomplish. To learn scientific facts about the human body. I also got to learn how my tenacity has motivated other women in my age group to get out there and do their 30 minutes of needed physical activity. That it was not just about working out to fit into society's ideal image of a woman. But to make themselves feel better about themselves and who they are as females. With this knowledge, I have gained from having awesome female mentors in the field. I want to be able to go out there and gear my services towards women who are Latin and young children. There is such a huge misconception about health and wellness in the Hispanic community and it is time we put an end to that. It is not always about giving foods that you love but learning how to take those foods and make them healthier without losing their authenticity. It is not about losing one's culture but learning how to amplify it to make it better for the body and the mind. Young children need to learn to not think of exercise as punishment but as nourishment for the mind and the body. Even if they are not sports kids, there are so many fun physical activities they can do to keep their hearts healthy. That food can make the body healthier and in turn, make the mind healthier. To realize how they feel when they eat certain things and why it makes them feel that way. How to handle their emotions and thoughts and how to not turn to food for comfort but how to celebrate with food to make them feel more whole. This accomplishment to me is a big one for if I knew some of the things I knew now, I could have helped my mom. She might not have caught myocarditis and would have been alive past the age of 46. I am one year younger than she is now before she passed. I must make sure to stay around for my children under 14. This should be an accomplishment for all to achieve, to have young children and to teach them what it means to live a healthier, happier lifestyle and how it does not mean living up to society's standards of health.

My name is Patricia Rodriguez and I am a 45 yr. old mother of 3 originally from NYC but now in Fort Worth, TX. I used to be a medical assistant and phlebotomist and ended my career as a medical biller in 2015. When we moved to Texas, I was a substitute teacher for elementary for 2 years straight. I worked with a lot of Special education students, kindergarten, and Physical Education. Now I am in college pursuing my Masters in Kinesiology. I am going into Sports Administration but not to be able to manage sports teams. I want to be able to develop useful programs for children to learn the importance of health and wellness. It is a shame that most students go through their whole education without knowing the 5 points of health and wellness or why they are important. It is not just about exercising their bodies but also their minds as well. Too many young people are becoming mentally unwell and allowing emotions that overwhelm them and adults are telling them to suck it up or get over it. But if we put wellness programs in place at an early age where they can see that good exercise routines and meditation sessions are extremely useful to them, it can make a significant difference. Physical education in most ISDs is academically based and not based on any physical exercise to get their bodies to adapt to fitness. Most of these children know nothing of proper formations until they hit middle or high school levels and join athletic sports. Some students can adapt to the routines and others cannot and then they decide not to pursue any form of physical activity later. If they are taught early on, their fitness becomes part of their life, and we will not have to worry about childhood obesity and the lack of self-confidence some of them have. children will become more confident in themselves because they will have been working on themselves since elementary school. Not only to be physically fit but to be mentally happy and to be able to find happiness in all aspects of life. Children need to learn how to balance their joys. If they love video games, it is not to say they should never play them. But if they go out and do some form of physical activity first for 30 mins, it can help improve their mental state which will in turn improve their gaming, for their minds will be flowing with energy. Research has shown any form of physical activity improves a child's mental state and calms them down by releasing all that pent-up energy they have throughout the day when sitting in a classroom without movements for extended periods. Society needs to realize it is not always about academics but also the physical state of the child. I go back to help these children and help my own in realizing how important it is to be active even if it is for only 30 minutes a day. How those 30 minutes helps to keep away obesity and heart disease.

As a born female or even a male, it is extremely important to have your breast checked yearly. Breast issues are not just a female problem, men can get breast cancer as well. Breast cancer has one of the highest cancer rates in the U.S.A. The area of your breast and nipples can tell a person a lot about their health. It may not be cancer-related but tissue-related or heart-related as well. Checking your breast on your own can help determine if any issues are going on with your body. Looking for soreness, discoloration, tenderness, and even pimpling can be a sign of something more serious such as cancer. Men may not think this applies to them but it does. Breast tissue only varies from the milk duct aspect. But anyone can get breast cancer, it is just more pronounced in women. Making sure you go over your complete family history, can help you to determine your chances of having breast cancer. Even your environment can be a factor. The types of lotions, sunscreen and deodorants as well. Making sure you stay clear of products with talc or aluminum-based can be contributing factors. Healthy eating plans and exercise can help to reduce cancers. It may not be 100% foolproof but it does help to lessen your chances. When it comes to a genetic test though, it is best to get tested for gene mutations and figure out the best course of action with doctors and your family. If you know breast health problems run in your family, it is important to not wait and get tested early on. Even if the family member is far in your lineage. Genes can skip generations and land on someone so far removed. Breast health is just like dental health. It can all lead to some other issue if not taken care of. You never want to wait till it is too late and treatments will not be as effective. Also, look for a physician who will listen to your concerns as well. I do not want this to come off wrong but sometimes, women need female doctors and those in the minority category to be exact. You need someone that will take all your concerns seriously and make you not feel like you are losing your mind. Do not settle with just your primary care doctor because they have been with you the longest. Do your research and find the Doctor and hospital for you that will help you. Even if you are in the clear, I would suggest support groups that deal with breast health as well. Just the worry about the "what ifs" can make anyone's mind go insane and that is not something someone should be concerned about. The process of breast health should be easy and without anxiety. The bottom line is, do your home exams, your yearly exams and know your family history. Everyone is afraid of getting some form of cancer, or cancer-related illness. Don't be and do the work to help subside it. To catch it before it occurs and to live a healthier lifestyle.

My daughters motivate me to confront it. We moved to Texas because of the lower cost of living and more Freedom as an American. Yet over the years, they seem to forget that Women are a big part of the state and country. We are not the weaker sex in any way shape or form. We are strong and independent and intelligent. Women are better at multi-tasking and have an eye for detail. We are more empathetic and can relate to people easier. Not to say that men can not do these things. But women are attuned to these things. I want my girls to know and to see that their mom at the age of 44 has graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and is pursuing her Master of Science in Kinesiology for Sports Administration. That the sports world is open to women even if we have to make our way through it. With y sports Administration pursuit, I want to develop programs that gear toward women and children when it comes to health and wellness. Especially the Hispanic community. There have been great strides in the fitness community with females. Not just those who lose weight but those who prove strength. Bodybuilders, powerlifters, etc. My children's charter school has one in Edinburg that has a whole female powerlifting team that has become state champions. I want to show my girls and others like them that women can be in higher-paid positions and out there without needing to be scandalized or dressed clad. There are so many STEM programs right now paving the way for other women. I want them to see they have voices and they need to be heard but starting their clubs and businesses that attend to women. I want them to see that they can climb corporate and noncorporate leaders and become heads of departments. I will continue to teach women about health and wellness and that their emotions do not hinder them but help to guide them in life. That as females we are great motivators and will continue to create programs where we can showcase attributes that will prove this. I will continue to push myself and other females to apply for male-dominated positions and to work harder showing why we as females are qualified for the job. The more females work together we can close the disparity gap and show why Texas needs women as much as they need men.

My name is Patricia Rodriguez and I am a 44 yr old mother of 3 originally from NYC but now in Fort Worth, TX. I used to be a medical assistant and phlebotomist and ended my career as a medical biller in 2015. When we moved to Texas I was a substitute teacher for elementary for 2 years straight. I worked with a lot of Special education students, kindergarten and Physical Education. Now I am in college pursuing my Bachelor's and soon after my Masters in Kinesiology. I am going into Sports Administration but not to be able to manage sports teams. I want to be able to develop useful programs for children to learn the importance of health and wellness. It is a shame that most students go through their whole education without knowing the 5 points of health and wellness or why they are important. It is not just about exercising their bodies but also their minds as well. Too many young people are becoming mentally unwell and allowing emotions that overwhelm them and adults are telling them to suck it up or get over it. But if we put wellness programs in place at an early age where they can see that good exercise routines and meditation sessions are extremely useful to them, it can make a great difference. Physical education in most ISDs is academically based and not based on any physical exercise to get their bodies to adapt to fitness. Most of these children know nothing of proper formations until they hit middle or high school levels and join athletic sports. Some students can adapt to the routines and others can not and then they decide not to pursue any form of physical activity later on. If they are taught early on, their fitness becomes part of their life and we will not have to worry about childhood obesity and the lack of self-confidence some of them have. children will become more confident in themselves because they will have been working on themselves since elementary school. Not only to be physically fit but to be mentally happy and to be able to find happiness in all aspects of life. Children need to learn how to balance their joys. If they love video games it is not to say they should never play them. But if they go out and do some form of physical activity first for 30 mins, can help improve their mental state which will in turn improve their gaming, for their minds will be flowing with energy. Research has shown any form of physical activity improves a child's mental state and calms them down by releasing all that pent-up energy they have throughout the day when sitting in a classroom without movements for long periods. We as a society need to realize it is not always about academics but also the physical state of the child.

I am a non-traditional student. I am a 44-year-old Hispanic female who decided to go back to school after being out since 1999. I always wanted to be in the healthcare field and attended Trade school for medical assistance and phlebotomy. I worked in that career plus Medical Billing for almost 16 years before moving to Texas with my family. Here I was a substitute teacher for SPED, elementary and Physical Education for two years. While doing this I realized how much I enjoyed and miss Physical education and fitness as a whole. I decided to go back to college to get my degree in Kinesiology and ultimately get my master's in kinesiology for Sports Administration. I want to be able to develop and implement health and wellness exercises that engage children from a young age to want to stay active. Not waiting to learn how to do exercises the correct way when they attend middle or even high school. Children need to learn how fitness ties into mental health and ways to combat the negative effects with positive ones. I am showing my young children that going back to school at any age is durable and should not be looked down upon. That when you have a goal they can reach it and that all the hard work you do can be accomplished with dedication and persistence.

I have always been an active person growing up. I was involved in many different sports as a female child in NYC. It was a great way for me to stage engaged with peers and work on my own health and wellness. Playing sports till I was 17, kept me out of a whole lit of trouble growing up. I was too busy engaging in these events to get in to trouble. Unfortunately when I always aging out, I became a teen parent. As an adult now, I have restarted my athletic life. I take my own children to fitness events and involve them in my schooling. I show them the proper way to exercise and how being active not only helps their bodies but also their minds and souls. I am pursuing a career in Sports Administration. I want to be involved in creating and directing programs that make people of all ages want to be involved. I don't want to people to feel that because they do not have that "athletic build" that an event is not for them. Being able to work as an intern at my university for the health and wellness program they provide for their employees. It has shown me how far I can push myself to accomplish things. I am able to build my own exercise classes that revolve around the people who participate. I can show them the modifications necessary and how to achieve that level of success they are striving for. I enjoy engaging with people and helping them feel included. I make sure they are not embraced and that their efforts are noticed and rewarded. Being able to work with participants that are in the special population categories, is another passion of mine. I taught water aerobics to the elderly and it was such a fantastic experience. Being able to talk to people and learn about their lives as I show them how to stay active was heart warming. It amazes me on how strong people of any age truly are when they put their minds to it. They were an unstoppable force in the water. And hearing from them that my exercises helped them after wards was wonderful. I feel so many school districts do not start proper exercise programs in their elementary levels and wait till middle school. By doing this, I have seen many young children get injured or injure others. As a parent and a student in the Kinesiology field. It is important that at a young age, children learn proper form even if we are teaching them only 2-3 different exercises throughout each grade level. It helps to prepare them for their futures and they won't just sit around at home or anywhere else, with no energy and no thrive to be better.