Sint Maarten Launches Back-to-School Campaign Promoting Children's Health

Four organizations — Collective Prevention Services (CPS), the Department of Sports, the Public Education Division, and Stichting EGO — have jointly launched a back-to-school awareness campaign in Sint Maarten aimed at encouraging healthy habits among children and their families. The campaign coincides with the start of the new school year in Philipsburg. By partnering across health, education, and sports departments, organizers are taking a multi-sector approach to child wellness. The initiative targets both students and parents, recognizing that healthy habits formed at home and school reinforce each other. Campaigns of this nature are increasingly common in the Caribbean as public health agencies seek to address youth nutrition, physical activity, and overall well-being. No specific end date or campaign milestones were detailed in the available excerpt, but the coordinated effort signals a broader institutional commitment to preventive health on the island.

Franshelis Garcia, a professional originally from St. Maarten, has successfully earned her PhD from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. She defended her doctoral thesis on the stigma associated with obesity and metabolic and bariatric surgery. The achievement marks a significant academic milestone for Garcia, who pursued her research at one of Europe's leading research universities. Her work sheds light on the social and psychological dimensions of obesity-related stigma, a topic with broad public health implications. Garcia's success represents a point of pride for the St. Maarten community, highlighting the island's contribution to international academic research.

Franshelis Garcia, a native of St. Maarten, successfully earned her PhD from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands on September 25, 2026. She defended her doctoral thesis focused on the stigma surrounding obesity and metabolic and bariatric surgery. Garcia is a 2007 graduate of Milton Peters College's VWO program, marking her academic journey from the island to one of Europe's leading research universities. Her research addresses a significant and often overlooked social dimension of obesity — the discrimination and bias faced by individuals with the condition, including those who seek surgical treatment. The achievement represents a milestone for St. Maarten, highlighting the island's capacity to produce world-class academic scholars. Garcia's work contributes to growing international conversations around weight bias in healthcare and society.