Objective: To understand adolescents' perceptions on school health. Method: Qualitative and descriptive research grounded on Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, which was developed with 90 adolescent students from a federal school of the state of Rio de Janeiro. Data were produced by gathering answers to the following question: what is your perception on school health? Those who chose to write their answer to the guiding question deposited the manuscripts in polls. Results: School health is

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... inked to hygienist practices and to the hegemonic assistentialist model. Nevertheless, we assigned senses and meanings to the practice of physical activity and health education by integrating and expanding behavioral strategies and healthy habits. Final considerations: a healthy school environment implies the protagonism of adolescents in school health promotion actions.