About Us

The Poe Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to positively impacting the lives of North Carolina youth through health education. Since opening in Raleigh in 1991, the Poe Center has educated more than 850,000 participants from 76 counties using innovative teaching theaters, exhibits and offsite programs.

By engaging in fun, highly interactive lessons, preschoolers through twelfth graders receive information that follows the NC DPI Healthful Living Standard Course of Study on a variety of health topics, including nutrition, dental health, general health, family life and drug prevention.

Poe Center Mission Statement

The mission of the Poe Center for Health Education is to educate and empower North Carolina children, youth and their families to make choices that increase positive health behaviors.

Poe Center Vision Statement

The vision of the Poe Center for Health Education is that all North Carolina children and youth become healthy adults.

Did you Know?

• 20% of North Carolina children enter kindergarten with untreated tooth decay.¹
• Youth obesity in North Carolina is the fifth highest in the Nation, and 1/3 of NC youth are overweight or obese.¹
• 405 girls ages 10-14 and 19,192 teens ages 15-19 were pregnant in North Carolina in 2006.²
• 11.7% of middle school students have smoked one or more cigarettes in the past 30 days.³
• 33.6% of middle school students have drunk more than a few sips of alcohol.³
• 11.9% of middle school students have used marijuana.³

Together, we can help North Carolina's youth lead healthier lives. Schedule a Poe Center program or support the Poe Center today.

¹North Carolina Prevention Report Card, 2007; www.ncchild.org
²The Adolescent Prevention Coalition of North Carolina, 2008; www.appcnc.org
³Youth Risk Behavior Survey, North Carolina Middle School Students, 2007; www.nchealthyschools.org