SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is recognizing 50 Michigan schools statewide for their efforts in health education, including several in Southwest Michigan.
The recognition comes by way of the Michigan School Wellness Award program, which recognizes teachers, administrators, health champions, community members and students taking initiative to build healthier school environments.
The health lessons include topics such as healthy eating, physical activity habits and tobacco-free lifestyles.
“The Michigan schools recognized with School Wellness Awards have gone above and beyond to create healthy environments that support lifelong healthy habits,” MDHHS director Robert Gordon said. “Despite unexpected school closures, teachers and staff across the state have continued to support knowledge building and healthy habits through opportunities to participate in physical activity, nutritious meals and snacks and to engage families in health promotion activities using technology.”
The Michigan School Wellness Award program is a collaboration with the Michigan Department of Education, the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Michigan Action for Healthy Kids and the Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan Coalition.
The program aims to engage schools statewide in creating healthy school environments by establishing School Wellness Teams, completing the Healthy School Action Tools and implementing sustainable policy and environmental changes.
Schools that have achieved all of these elements are recognized with the top-level Gold award.
Only one school in the Southwest Michigan area was able to achieve a Gold status award, which was named as Lamora Park School in Battle Creek. Many Battle Creek schools were awarded in other statuses as well.
Southwest Michigan schools that achieved recognition in Silver and Bronze categories can be viewed below:
Silver –
- Ann J. Kellogg School, Battle Creek
- Dudley STEM, Battle Creek
- Fremont International Academy, Battle Creek
- Pennfield North School, Battle Creek
- Pennfield Purdy School, Battle Creek
- Post Franklin Elementary School, Battle Creek
- Valley View Elementary School, Battle Creek
Bronze –
- Battle Creek Area Learning Center, Springfield
- Charles Borromeo Catholic School, Coldwater
To apply for the program, schools provide information about nutrition, physical education/ activity and tobacco-free practices and submit at least one success story.
School award winners and more information is available at http://swa.mihealthtools.org.
For more information about the Michigan Health and Wellness 4×4 Plan, visit Michigan.gov/healthymichigan.
