Simmons Middle School honored for fighting childhood obesity

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation, recently recognized Simmons Middle School with a 2014 National Healthy Schools Award. SMS received this award at the Alliance’s 2014 Leaders Summit in Washington, DC on Sept. 13.

As a recipient of the award, SMS has transformed its school environment.

“The school, as a whole, is more aware of the importance of healthy choices and that when you make these choices, they can change your life in a positive way,” Joey Chambers, SMS Pathways to Progress Instructor said of the school’s changes since joining the Alliance’s Healthy Schools Program.

SMS personnel have thought of innovative ideas to promote healthy behaviors including implementing Meatless Mondays in the cafeteria, helping teachers add physical activity breaks in the classroom, and swapping unhealthy dessert options with tasty, fresh alternatives. Teachers are also benefitting from healthier options for breakfast and lunch at school and access to a workout facility, the school’s track, and gym to help the school continue to “walk the walk.”

“We applaud the achievements of our 2014 honorees,” said Dr. Howell Wechsler, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance for a Healthier Generation. “They are exemplary in their efforts to get students and staff eating better and moving more, and they prove that it is possible to build healthy school environments. We need thousands more schools across the country like Simmons Middle School,—schools that are fully committed to promoting health and wellness, which is vital to improving students’ academic performance.”

Find out more at HealthierGeneration.org.