5 Virginia, DC Schools Rank Among Healthiest In US: List

ATLANTA, GA – A total of five schools in Virginia and The District have ranked among "America's Healthiest Schools" by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a national organization that empowers kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits, recognized a record 461 schools from 26 states and the District of Columbia as the country's healthiest schools. The schools received Healthier Generation's National Healthy Schools Award at the bronze, silver or gold level, based on the standards they achieved.

The following three schools in Virginia landed on the national list:

• Riverside Elementary School in Alexandria — Bronze
• Woodlawn Elementary School in Alexandria — Bronze
• Lovettsville Elementary School in Lovettsville — Silver

And these two schools in Washington, D.C., made the list:

• Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School — Silver
• Seaton Elementary School — Silver

Here's what the program said about its work in Virginia schools:

"The state faces a serious issue: Nearly 30 percent of youth are overweight or obese, putting them at risk for serious health problems. ... More than 700 schools serving over 493,000 students across the state have joined Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, creating healthier school environments for children to thrive. Since 2007, four Virginia schools have been recognized with National Healthy Schools Awards for their outstanding efforts.

"We’ve also made it easier for more than 25,000 youth in 133 out-of-school time programs to eat right and move more through our Healthy Out-of-School Time Initiative."

These schools earned the distinction by meeting the following criteria:

• Meet or exceed federal nutrition standards for school meals and snacks
• Offer breakfast daily
• Implement district wellness policies and update progress annually
• Provide students with at least 60 minutes of physical education per week and ensure physical activity throughout the school day

Congratulations to all the schools!

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