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Lincoln – Forty-one Nebraska schools received awards recently at the Nebraska Action for Healthy Kids Summit for their efforts to improve wellness. Health and education leaders gathered in Lincoln to recognize work that schools are doing to help students be healthier.

“These are remarkable efforts by teachers, school administrators, nurses, students and families to address the problems of poor nutrition and inactivity by making changes in the school environment,” said Dr. Joann Schaefer, Nebraska’s Chief Medical Officer. “Students in these 41 schools are being empowered for academic and lifelong success by having school settings that support healthy behaviors.”

A healthy school setting integrates healthy eating and physical activity throughout the school and includes quality physical education, nutrition education, physical activity opportunities, nutrition standards for food sold and served in school, community outreach programs, active school wellness councils and more.

Dr. Jackie Miller, Chief Administrator for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, presented the awards with Pat Timm of the State Board of Education, while First Lady Sally Ganem commended the attendees for their dedication and work.

Melissa Fahrenbruch, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Mark Fenton delivered the keynote presentations. Ms. Fahrenbruch is an expert in comprehensive school health, and Mr. Fenton is a nationally respected lecturer and advocate for wellness initiatives.

Nebraska Action for Healthy Kids is a nonprofit organization addressing the epidemic of overweight, sedentary and undernourished youth by improving nutrition and increasing physical activity in schools. Nebraska Action for Healthy Kids Action Awards are given in four distinctions: Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honorable Mention. They are based on school and community wellness activities; nutrition services and nutrition education; physical education and physical activity; and community involvement.

For more information, visit: http://www.neactionforhealthykids.org .

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Note: Award winners are listed below.


Silver Awards

Ashland Greenwood Middle School

Basset Rock County Public Schools

Beatrice Beatrice Middle School

Crete Crete Middle School

Firth Norris Elementary

Harrisburg Banner County Elementary

Kearney Windy Hills Elementary

Lincoln Eastridge Elementary

Lincoln Goodrich Middle

Lincoln Morley Elementary

Loup City Loup City Elementary

Loup City Loup City High

Macy UMO N HO N Nation

Omaha Western Hills Elementary

Wahoo Wahoo Elementary

Omaha Carl A Swanson Elementary

Omaha Westbrook Elementary


Bronze Awards

Ansley Ansley Elementary

Clay Center Clay Center Elementary

Clay Clay Center High

Curtis Medicine Valley Elementary

Fairfield Sandy Creek Elementary

Fairfield Sandy Creek Jr/Sr High

Kearney Glenwood Elementary

Kearney Horizon Middle

Kearney Kearney Sr High

Lincoln Campbell Elementary

Lincoln Fredstrom Elementary

Omaha Dundee Elem School

Omaha Fullerton Elementary

Omaha Walnut Hill Elementary

Plattsmouth Plattsmouth Middle

Superior Superior North Ward Elementary

Millard Ezra Millard Elementary


Honorable Mention

Elkhorn St. Patrick's

Fairbury Central Elementary

Fairbury Jefferson Intermediate

Plattsmouth Plattsmouth Elementary

Sutton Sutton Elementary

Wahoo Bishop Neumann Central HS

Wahoo St. Wenceslaus