IEHP partnered with Palm Springs Unified School District and Aziz Farms for their second annual KidChella music festival, a family-friendly day filled with music, education, food and fun.
More than 850 PSUSD students gathered on April 19 at the Thermal-based farm to soak in the festival setting complete with a giant Ferris wheel and headliner “American Idol” Abi Carter performing songs from her debut album, “ghosts in the backyard.”
Along with Carter, IEHP brought its team of health navigators to host an educational game about good wellness habits, from eating healthy food to checking your vision. Health navigators work with students year-round at schools across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties to connect them to no-cost health care and community resources.
“This event is the culmination piece for our spring break camp attendees [who] get to bring one special adult with them for the day and get to enjoy this beautiful space,” said Amber Gascoigne, director of expanded learning for the school district. “This experience gives us the opportunity to connect directly with our families, and with the partnership of Inland Empire Health Plan this time around, we really get to hone in on what our families are in need of.
“This event has really given an opportunity to unwind, take a step back from the chaos of our normal daily lives to really focus on ourselves,” she said.
Carter’s participation in the event is as part of a year-long partnership between the Indio native and the health plan in support of youth mental health awareness. Performing for local youth just miles away from her hometown served as a “welcome home” experience for the young singer.
“Any sort of community outreach event—especially for children in The Valley—is really important for us to support,” said Carter. “In a lot of ways, I just feel like a normal person. So, when kids look up to me as some sort of inspiration, it makes me feel like I’ve done something good.”
For more KidChella highlights, click the “play” button below.