Improved Youth Wellness and Community Engagement through a built environment initiative in Appalachian Tennessee

Grounded in Coordinated School Health principles, this study evaluated the impact of enhancements to an existing school-campus walking trail on student well-being and community engagement. Using surveys and validated SOPRAC observations, we assessed perceptions of wellness and trail use among students (n=651) and staff (n=38). Most students (63%) reported that the trail positively affected their well-being, describing feeling "calm", "energic", "happy", and "peaceful". School staff (teacher n=32, staff and other, n=6) echoed these perceptions, with 88% noting moderate to strong positive impacts on student well-being and 76.5% observing improved student mindset post-trail use. Teachers described students as "refreshed", "calm", and "enthusiastic." Observational data from 34 weekday and weekend trail visits showed similar usage rates between male and female students (45% vs. 43%), with adults comprising the majority of users (62%), followed by teens (30%) and children (8%). Walking was the most common activity across all groups. These findings suggest that enhancing built environments through school-community partnerships can promote physical activity and support student well-being and improved mood.