Pictured above: NAES 4th Graders Hannah Azlin, Abby Prather, and Santiago Aguirre enjoy lunch. NAES recently received the HealthierUS School Challenge Silver Award.
When it comes to meeting the strict criteria for awards in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) HealthierUS School Challenge, nineteen Mississippi schools have scored at the top of the class. New Albany Elementary School (NAES) is among the top schools in the state that is excelling at creating healthier environments for students. NAES received the HealthierUS School Challenge Silver Award.
In February 2010, when the HealthierUS School Challenge became part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign, USDA set an ambitious goal of 1250 schools nationwide by June 2011. “We are very proud that so many of our schools have achieved excellence in both nutrition and physical activity,” says Shane McNeill, Director, Office of Healthy Schools, Mississippi Department of Education. “Nineteen schools from sixteen different districts have already received Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards and twenty-five additional schools currently have applications in the review process. This is a prestigious honor, since only 790 schools in 32 states have met the national criteria thus far.”
According to Amy Olson, MS, RD (Registered Dietitian), Director of Training for Child Nutrition Programs in the Office of Healthy Schools, qualifying for a HealthierUS School Challenge award shows a strong commitment to serve healthful food in the cafeteria and throughout the campus, while enhancing the role of both nutrition and physical education in the classroom. “These awards demonstrate that our schools have made sustainable changes to ensure that Mississippi students are fit, well-nourished, and ready to succeed academically. Submitting one of these applications requires a team of administrators, physical education (PE) teachers, child nutrition staff, and others involved in school wellness,” notes Olson. “It’s a great way to get everyone on board to promote the connections between overall children’s health and their academic success.”
Thanks to a bill passed last spring in the state Legislature, Mississippi schools also receive a significant financial boost for winning a HealthierUS School Challenge award. With a combination of USDA and state funding from House Bill 1078, incentives for the four exceptional performance awards are $2,000 for Bronze, $4,000 for Silver, $6,000 for Gold, and $8,000 Gold of Distinction.
“These incentives are a positive way to recognize Mississippi schools that implement programs to help improve eating habits, increase activity levels, and reduce childhood obesity,” explains Shane McNeill. “Schools can then use the additional funding to make further enhancements in nutrition and physical activity programs for their students.”
