There is considerable interest in the self-care and health behaviors of individuals. This article discusses the concepts and ideas underlying the philosophy of a project developed to help school-age children use health knowledge to develop their health behaviors. The authors believe that contacts school nurses have with children can produce increased understanding and attention to health needs. For children to accept personal responsibility for health they must experience 1) health education that allows the child to learn about the body and how personal behavior affects health; 2) health services that are focused on health rather than illness; and 3) a delivery system that enables the child to understand how his own behavior impacts on his own health and illness status.