Three Schools in the Alvord Unified School District Honored in Washington D.C. as the Healthiest in the Nation

RIVERSIDE, CA—Three schools in the Alvord Unified School District received top recognition for their impact in fighting childhood obesity. The local schools are among the 376 schools nationwide, honored by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (AHG) at the 2015 Leaders Summit.

Alvord Unified School District participates in the Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools program, in partnership with the AHG which is celebrating 10 years of creating healthier environments. The goal of Thriving Schools is to deepen Kaiser Permanente’s involvement in efforts that support school wellness and help make good health a part of everyday life.

“Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping children form healthy habits early in life,” said Vita Willett, Executive Director, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan/Hospitals, Riverside Area. “By enhancing the school environment, we are strengthening the culture of staff wellness in schools and engaging families and communities so that students eat better and maintain an active lifestyle.”

The Alliance’s Healthy Schools Program is the nation’s largest school-based childhood obesity prevention initiative, reaching more than 17 million students by working with more than 30,000 schools.

The schools have distinguished themselves with healthy eating and physical activity programs and policies that meet or exceed stringent standards set by the Healthy Schools Program.

Schools are eligible for National Healthy Schools Awards at the Bronze, Silver, or Gold level, based on the standards they achieve, and all recognized schools also achieve national recognition with Let’s Move! Active Schools.

Representatives from the following schools traveled to Washington, D.C. to be recognized for promoting a culture of school wellness for students and staff in areas of nutrition and physical activity.
• Loma Vista Middle School, Silver
• Phillip M. Stokoe Elementary, Bronze
• Wells Middle School, Bronze

Loma Vista Middle School
The Healthy Schools Program has been the catalyst for making tremendous changes and creating a culture of health and wellness at Loma Vista. The school’s cafeteria has aligned its meal options with the USDA federal nutrition standards. The school only allows the sale of competitive foods that comply with the Smart Snacks in School standards. Physical activity is a top priority at the school. Teachers incorporate movement breaks into their lesson plans and staff participate in pedometer challenges and a walking club. Loma Vista will continue to build a healthier school environment with the help of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Kaiser Permanente.

Phillip M. Stokoe Elementary School
When it comes to health and wellness, the staff at Phillip M. Stokoe Elementary School understand the importance of setting a healthy example. Teachers incorporate movement breaks into their lesson plans to help students maintain their energy and focus. The school not only encourages teachers to serve as
healthy role models, but also organizes the schedule to increase opportunities to make healthy choices. The physical education department revamped its curriculum to include new and engaging activities. Teachers integrate movement breaks into their lesson plans to help students remain focused and energized. To promote healthy eating, the school features nutritious menu items during the morning announcements and puts fresh whole fruit on display in the cafeteria.

Wells Middle School
At Wells Middle School, students, staff, administrators and parents are all playing an integral role in building a healthier school community. Every morning, the school provides a nutritious breakfast such as freshly prepared smoothies packed with fruits and vegetables to help students fuel up for a day of
learning. Parents are invited to attend sessions where members of the school wellness council provide information on the importance of helping the students make healthy choices. The school also revamped its physical education curriculum, purchased new physical activity equipment for use during lunchtime and incorporated GoNoodle’s online movement breaks into class schedules.

Healthier Generation Hero Awardees
Each year, the Alliance honors the enormously important role companies, community organizations and individuals play in improving the lives of our nation’s children through its Healthier Generation Hero Awards.

The 2015 Healthier Generation Corporate Hero Award is being presented to Kaiser Permanente for its extraordinary effort to be part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic, industry leadership in promoting evidenced-based public health solutions and innovation in creating and fostering positive
change on behalf of children’s health.

The Alliance is recognizing Kaiser Permanente’s focus on improving the health and wellness of students, staff and teachers in K-12 schools through its Thriving Schools initiative. By taking an integrated approach that focuses on all environments throughout the community, Kaiser Permanente is able to
ensure that children have the healthiest opportunities available—reaching more than 230,000 students in 335 schools across 21 school districts throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Kaiser Permanente is at the forefront of preventative health, creating a culture of health and wellness for the communities, individuals and families it serves. The award will be accepted at the 2015 Leaders Summit by Kaiser Permanente Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bernard J. Tyson.

About Kaiser Permanente Riverside:
Kaiser Permanente opened its medical center in Riverside in 1989 and its hospital in Moreno Valley in 2008. Currently, we provide care for over 426,000 members throughout Riverside County. Over 480 physicians care for our members at 9 medical facilities and at Kaiser Permanente’s Riverside Medical Center and Moreno Valley Medical Center. Riverside Medical Center is licensed for 226 beds. Moreno Valley Medical Center has 101 licensed beds.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation, empowers kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits. The Alliance works with schools, companies, community organizations, healthcare professionals and families to build healthier environments for millions of children. To learn more and join the movement, visit HealthierGeneration.org.