Michigan schools recognized for role in child and adolescent health

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2020

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov

Michigan schools recognized for their critical role in child and adolescent health

LANSING, Mich. – In recognition of teachers, administrators, health champions, community members and students taking initiative to build healthier school environments, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is recognizing 50 Michigan schools for fostering healthy eating, physical activity habits and tobacco-free lifestyles impacting more than 25,000 students.

“The Michigan schools recognized with School Wellness Awards have gone above and beyond to create healthy environments that support lifelong healthy habits,” said Robert Gordon, MDHHS director. “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.

This year’s winners laud such achievements as building-wide offerings of health education and physical education and enhancements to the physical and social climates in schools, including transforming school meal service. The winners of this year’s School Wellness Awards include:

Gold

• Allendale Middle School, Allendale
• Brookside Elementary School, Big Rapids
• Cherryland Middle School, Elk Rapids
• East Jordan High School, East Jordan
• East Leroy Elementary School, East Leroy
• Ishpeming Middle/High School, Ishpeming
• John D. Pierce Middle School, Waterford
• Lamora Park School, Battle Creek
• Ludington High School, Ludington
• MacDonald Middle School, East Lansing
• Maple City-Glen Lake Jr/Sr High School, Maple City
• McDonald Elementary School, Dearborn
• Portland Middle School, Portland
• Summit Academy North High School, Romulus
• Unionville-Sebewaing Elementary School, Unionville
• White Pine Middle School, Saginaw

Silver

• Almont Middle School, Almont
• Ann J. Kellogg School, Battle Creek
• Atherton Elementary School, Burton
• Auburn Elementary School, Auburn
• Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Wayne
• Betsie Valley School, Thompsonville
• Blair Elementary School, Traverse City
• Creekside Intermediate School, Dexter
• David Ellis Academy, Detroit
• DeWitt Middle School, DeWitt
• Dudley STEM, Battle Creek
• Fremont International Academy, Battle Creek
• Grass Lake Middle School, Grass Lake
• Grayling Elementary School, Grayling
• Highland Pines School, Caro
• Manton Middle School, Manton
• Pennfield North School, Battle Creek
• Pennfield Purdy School, Battle Creek
• Post Franklin Elementary School, Battle Creek
• Robeson Academy, Detroit
• Thunder Bay Junior High School, Alpena
• Valley View Elementary School, Battle Creek
• Vista Charter Academy, Wyoming
• Westfield Preparatory High School, Redford

Bronze

• Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac, Pontiac
• Battle Creek Area Learning Center, Springfield
• Bentley Middle School, Burton
• Central Elementary School, Muskegon
• Henry Ford II High School, Sterling Heights
• Marquette Elementary School, Detroit
• Pittsford Middle/High School, Pittsfield
• Riverview Elementary School, Big Rapids
• Shoreline Elementary School, Whitehall
• 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.