Mission, Texas- Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) officials have been notified that the district will be one of only two school districts in the country to receive the 2016 Let’s Move! Active Schools District Award at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Alliance) 2016 Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. The award will be presented during ceremonies on September 30, by the executive director of Let’s Move! Active Schools and a vice president of NIKE. Mission CISD was selected for the award based upon strong, district-wide support of creating active schools.
During the awards ceremony on September 30, Mission CISD’s Alton Elementary School will be recognized for earning Silver level National Healthy Schools Award status by the Alliance. All other Mission CISD campuses earned bronze level honors and will be recognized during a state summit later. Mission CISD is also one of only five districts in the country to have each qualifying school earn a 2016 National Healthy Schools Award. This places all Mission CISD schools among the 328 healthiest schools in America through the Alliance participation.
“I am very proud of what our schools have been able to accomplish in only the second year of working with the Alliance,” said Dr. Ricardo Lopez, Mission CISD superintendent. “This has required a major shift in how we approach many things, including changing mindsets of students, parents, and staff. It is exciting to me knowing that more of our schools are shooting for higher levels of achievement this next year because it helps build a healthier community as a whole.”
According to the Alliance, award-winning schools are serving as best-in-class examples of a nationwide movement to create healthier environments for kids. All recognized schools:
- Meet or exceed updated federal nutrition standards for school meals, which include increased fruits and vegetables, whole grain-rich items, and meals lower in saturated fat.
- Offer school breakfast to their students every day
- Meet or exceed snack and beverage requirements for the federal Smart Snacks in Schools standards
- Implement district wellness policies and report progress annually
- Provide students with at least 60 minutes of physical education per week and ensure activity throughout the school day
The Alliance is an organization founded by the American Heart Association and Clinton Foundation, working to empower kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits.
The Let’s Move! Active Schools is a part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative.
More information about the awards and the Alliance’s 2016 Leaders Summit, September 30 and October 1 in Washington, D.C. is available online, https://www.healthiergeneration.org/news__events/2016/09/27/1615/americas_healthiest_schools_to_be_honored_in_washington_dc.
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