Hasty Elementary Wins $10,000 Grant For Healthy Schools Project

CANTON, GA — A Cherokee County School District elementary school has won a $10,000 competitive national grant for a healthy schools project.

Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy is the Grand Prize and Title I Winner in the annual Super Health, Super You Community Challenge sponsored by Novo Nordisk and Discovery Education.

The $10,000 grant will be used to develop a sensory walking path on the Canton’s school campus. The path will be a place for students and staff to exercise, enjoy nature, reflect on goals and foster positive social-emotional connections.

The winning idea created by Hasty Elementary students was submitted by PE teacher Barry Dalton, who is this year’s district Teacher of the Year, with the support of Principal Rodney Larrotta.

“We care deeply about the health, well-being and happiness of each child we serve, and this project speaks directly to that dedication,” Superintendent of Schools Brian Hightower said. “We’re so proud of Coach Dalton, Principal Larrotta and Hasty Elementary as a whole for the positive difference they’re making in the lives of their students. Congratulations!”

The Community Challenge grant competition inspires elementary school students to develop a creative plan for solving a health-related problem. Winners, according to the sponsors, “successfully demonstrated solutions to fundamental community health issues.”

“Super Health, Super You has helped initiate healthy lifestyle conversations in schools, and has helped encourage students to think about and develop ways to make their schools and communities healthier places to live,” said Dr. Todd Hobbs, Chief Medical Officer for Novo Nordisk in North America. “It’s been a pleasure witnessing the ingenuity of these students who have become health heroes for their communities.”