White House LetterMinshew has received the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s National Healthy Schools BRONZE Award for making changes that promote healthier eating and physical activity for students and staff. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation, works to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and to empower kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits.

This award was granted by the Alliance’s Healthy Schools Program, an evidenced-based national initiative  to combat childhood obesity through the implementation of healthy changes within the school environment. Mr. Conley attended the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Leaders Summit on August 7, 2014 in Washington, DC to accept the award on behalf of the school.

The award demonstrates our school’s commitment to preventing childhood obesity and to fostering the health of our students and staff.

Every day, 95 percent of school-aged kids and teens attend school. Aside from home it’s the place where kids spend most of their time, making America’s schools one of the most important environments in the struggle to reduce childhood obesity. Schools are powerful places to not only teach young people the academic skills they need to succeed, but also how to develop healthy behaviors. Studies show that healthy students perform better on tests, get better grades, attend school more often and behave better in class. Bearing this in mind, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation launched its Healthy Schools Program in February of 2006 with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Program promotes a comprehensive approach by helping schools improve access to healthier foods; increase physical activity opportunities before, during, and after the school day; enhance nutrition education; and establish staff wellness programs to build a healthier school environment.

The Healthy Schools Program recognizes schools that succeed in meeting a set of evidence-based standards that address these areas at the Bronze, Silver, and Gold level. To learn more about the Healthy Schools Program and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, visit www.HealthierGeneration.org. Any school—public, private, or charter—can sign up to receive the support of the Healthy Schools Program’s resources, tools, and national experts at no cost.

To get involved in Minshew’s school wellness council, contact Heather McDonald at [[email protected] OR 469 302-7300.  White House Letter