Haile Thomas—activist, health coach, vegan chef, public speaker, and CEO of HAPPY—is on a mission to help young people eat healthier.
Haile Thomas is not your typical Gen Z teenager. The 18-year-old activist, health coach, vegan chef, and public speaker became the CEO of her nonprofit organization, Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth (HAPPY), when she was just 12 years old, inspired by witnessing her father fight off Type 2 diabetes with healthy eating and exercise. Since then, HAPPY has reached more than 15,000 children through programs in elementary and middle schools from New York City to Dubai.
Inspired by organizations including Edible Schoolyard and Harlem Grown, HAPPY uses its own distinct voice and style of teaching to connect with students. “We’re coming from a unique perspective of a peer-to-peer learning experience,” says Thomas. “We want to make sure that we maintain that authentic feel and more of a Gen Z-centric perspective. We never do lecture-style classes—it always has to be super interactive and high-energy so that kids won’t feel like they’re bored or confused.”
“HAPPY’s main goal is to engage, educate, empower, and inspire healthier generations,” says Thomas. When asked about her long-term goals for HAPPY, Thomas exclaims, “In 10 years, having like a million students complete our programs would be amazing!”
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