CRANFORD STUDENTS RECEIVE TWO AWARDS AT THE UNITEDHEALTHCARE/WESTFIELD AREA Y HEALTH BEE

As part of the 7th Grade Initiative, the Westfield Area Y hosted its sixth annual UnitedHealthcare Health Bee on Tuesday, April 21. The Health Bee is a Jeopardy-style quiz competition designed to get middle school students excited about health, fitness and nutrition. Fifty participants from seven schools competed as teams from Hillside Avenue School in Cranford, Orange Avenue School in Cranford, St. Michael’s School in Cranford, Lincoln School in Garwood, Edison Intermediate School in Westfield, Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield, and Deerfield School in Mountainside.

This year’s 1st Place winner was the “Bee Healthy Remix” team from Deerfield School in Mountainside. They were the awarded a $1,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare for their school. The “HAS Southside Cougars” from Hillside Avenue School in Cranford were the proud 2nd Place winners and received $500 from UnitedHealthcare and “The Orange Crush” from Orange Avenue School in Cranford was awarded $250 for having the most team spirit. This year the Spirit Award was named in honor and memory of Michael Jon Wielgus II, a Cranford student who participated in the first UnitedHealthcare Health Bee who passed away from brain cancer a few years ago.

“It was really great. I look forward to the Health Bee every year,” said Amanda Aguirre, Associate Director of Physical Programs at the Westfield Area Y.

The students spent four nights studying together for the Bee, which challenged them in three categories: General Health & Science, Physical Fitness and Food & Nutrition. “In addition to what they learned, they made friends with each other too, in the process,” said Amanda Aguirre.

The evening’s judges were Mark Elsasser, Greg Hatzisavvas and Amanda Aguirre of the Westfield Area Y and Paul Marden of UnitedHealthcare of NJ. Mountainside Mayor Paul Mirabelli, Garwood Mayor Charles Lombardo and Westfield Acting Mayor JoAnn Neylan welcomed the students with opening remarks.

The Westfield Area Y’s 7th Grade Initiative aims to help pre-teens build healthy habits at a critical time in their development. Each year, seventh grade students in the Westfield Area Y’s service area — Garwood, Cranford, Mountainside and Westfield — are invited to participate in the program. Throughout the year, students gather together to learn about fitness, nutrition, positive body image and self-esteem, and participants enjoy a free YMCA membership that gives them access to the pool, gym and fitness equipment. For information about the program, contact Amanda Aguirre at aaguirre@westfieldynj.org or call 908-233-2700, x258.

Pictured here: The second place winning team, “HAS Southside Cougars” of Hillside Avenue School received a $500 grant for their school at the 2015 UnitedHealthcare Health Bee.

Pictured here: Orange Avenue School “Orange Crush” won the Spirit Award at the 2015 UnitedHealthcare Health Bee and received a $250 grant for their school.