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Community Champion Awards

Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future logoThe Surgeon General is visiting communities to highlight prevention programs and recognizing “Champions” for their commitment to building partnerships and implementing programs to help kids stay active, encourage kids’ healthy eating habits, and promote healthy choices.

External Link Disclaimer Please note that links to award recipients on this page go to non-federal Web sites.


The Carver School of Health Sciences & Research is committed to develop critical thinkers and leaders in grades 9-12.

The New Schools at Carver School of Health Sciences & Research
Atlanta, GA, February 24, 2009. The Carver School of Health Sciences & Research is committed to develop critical thinkers and leaders in grades 9-12. "To See Is To Know" is a fundamental belief and driving force at the school. Innovative Carver activities, such as Judo classes, food-diary record keeping and student-organized health fairs, encourage the students to actively learn about healthy lifestyles. The New Schools at Carver School of Health Sciences & Research


ING Run For Something Better (IRFSB) supports school-based running programs to promote healthy, active lifestyles for America’s youth

ING Run For Something Better Program
Atlanta, GA, February 24, 2009. ING Run For Something Better (IRFSB) supports school-based running programs to promote healthy, active lifestyles for America’s youth. IRFSB is an 8 week program incorporated into PE classes within public middle schools, which culminates at an ING Marathon or Half Marathon. Over 40,000 students nationwide have participated in IRFSB and have run over 1,200,000 miles. ING Run for Something Better Program


The Healthy Hawaii Initiative (HHI) is a multimedia educational campaign, with both private and public partnerships.

Healthy Hawaii Initiative
Honolulu, HI, February 4, 2009. The Healthy Hawaii Initiative (HHI) is a multimedia educational campaign, with both private and public partnerships. Facilitated by the Hawaii State Department of Health, this Initiative educates on the leading causes of preventative deaths, promotes healthy decision making, and reduces the burden of chronic disease. HHI supports social and environmental change programs which are planned and carried out by community-based organizations ranging from schools to non-profit coalitions. Healthy Hawaii Initiative


The Fit Families for Life-Healthy Nutrition and Fitness Program is a dynamic partnership among many Tampa Bay organizations, including the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning.

Fit Families for Life-Healthy Nutrition and Fitness Program
Tampa Bay, FL, January 15, 2009. The Fit Families for Life-Healthy Nutrition and Fitness Program is a dynamic partnership among many Tampa Bay organizations, including the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning. The program includes an 18-week course for sixth grade children. The training lessons focus on running, walking, physical activity, and healthy nutrition. Each student receives professional coaching on fitness and nutrition, free running shoes, and much more. Fit Families for Life


The Network for a Healthy California is made up of more than 160 locally funded projects and 11 regional networks spanning California.

Network for a Healthy California
Los Angeles, CA, January 7, 2009. The Network for a Healthy California is made up of more than 160 locally funded projects and 11 regional networks spanning California. Nutrition and physical activity outreach programs are conducted at an estimated 10,000 community sites each year. Among the funded projects are 37 low-resource school districts representing 2,885 school sites and approximately 765 after-school sites. Through this network thousands of California teachers, school nurses and other school personnel make nutrition education a priority for low-income students. Network for a Healthy California


Healthy Hartford Campaign
Hartford, CT, December 10, 2008.  The Healthy Hartford Campaign is a collaborative effort among Hartford’s community leaders that encourages Hartford’s residents to live healthy .  The Campaign has promoted healthy choices by partnering with the Hartford Food Systems to discourage the use of trans fats and requiring the publication of food calories in city restaurants.  Additionally, Hartford reprogrammed all recreation activities to emphasize exercise science and child development, and among other things the city established a Farmer’s Market that provides the community food at affordable prices.  The Market vendors distributes of health and wellness information.  Healthy Hartford


Girls Golf Partnership between the LPGA-USGA, James Madison University, and the Mulligan’s Golf Center
Harrisonburg, VA, November 19, 2008. Ladies Professional Golf Association- United States Golf Association (LPGA-USGA) Girls Golf program provides an opportunity for girls, ages 7-17, to learn and play the game of golf. In 2008, James Madison University and Mulligan’s Golf Center collaborated to become a new LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site. This partnership allows James Madison University to teach Girls Golf activities that promote physical activity for girls and enhance their knowledge of health issues. Today more than 6,000 girls ages 7-17 participate at more than 180 Girls Golf sites nationwide. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf


Community Health Care Association of New York State and the Children's Museum of Manhattan
New York, NY, October 24, 2008. The Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS) and the Children's Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) teamed with the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) We Can!TM program to help New York City families adopt healthier habits to maintain a healthy weight. This collaboration provides NYC parents and children with important messages about healthy eating, incorporates physical activity into children's lives, and reduces television and computer screen time. CMOM and CHCANYS Receive Award


United Methodist Church- Amazing PACE Program
Mississippi, October 22, 2008.  In June 2007, the United Methodist Church’s Amazing PACE Wellness Task Force of Mississippi launched the Amazing PACE health promotion program.  Currently there are over 500 faith leaders who are Amazing PACERs in Mississippi.  By wearing a PACE pedometer and sending the miles to the Amazing PACE database, a PACER travels along inspirational “virtual journeys” through the Bible with measurable prevention goals.  Children are involved as "PACE Promoters" and take part in other congregational activities.  Amazing PACE Program


South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, Division of Parks and Recreation
Pierre, SD, October 16, 2008.  The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, Division of Parks and Recreation recently expanded their recreation offerings at all South Dakota state parks.  Keys to the expansion were developing a website (collaborative effort with SD Department of Health), increased educational publications, the purchase of recreation equipment for free use, and the use of global positioning systems (GPS) for hiking adventure trails and other challenges.   Division of Parks and Recreation


Choosing Healthy and Rewarding Meals (CHARM) program
Washington, DC, September 29, 2008.  The Choosing Healthy and Rewarding Meals (CHARM) program is a 10-week curriculum designed to educate students about healthy eating habits and life skills.  CHARM serves as a resource for students who want to make a change in their eating habits.  The program combines the expertise of a nutritionist, an image consultant, and pediatricians in a school-based health center at Eastern Senior High School.  CHARM


Pecan Park Elementary School
Jackson, MS, September 24, 2008.  Pecan Park Elementary School greatly expanded its efforts to teach students about healthy nutrition and how to maintain a fitness routine.  Pecan Park Elementary was awarded a grant for new fitness equipment for their comprehensive wellness programs.  Every day, students at the school dedicate 50 minutes to learning about health, nutrition and exercise.  Pecan Park Elementary School


Jefferson County Childhood Obesity Taskforce
Birmingham, AL, September 22, 2008.  The Jefferson County Childhood Obesity Taskforce (JCCOT) is a citizen-led working group that leads and coordinates efforts addressing childhood obesity in Jefferson County, AL.  The taskforce encourages schools to include nutrition and physical activity lessons into their daily curriculum.  An example of one taskforce partnership includes the Jones Valley Urban Farm.  The Jones Valley Seed 2 Plate program provides field trips for children in grades K-8 in the Birmingham area to the local Jones Valley urban garden, teaching the children about healthy nutrition and cooking.  Jefferson County Childhood Obesity Taskforce


Hubbell Elementary School
Des Moines, IA, September 5, 2008.  The Hubbell Elementary School was the first Iowa school to pilot a program called KidStriders.  KidStriders is a program that encourages goal-setting and lifestyle management skills.  The program’s ultimate goal is for students to complete a cumulative marathon (26.2 miles) during recess periods.  Students are rewarded for accomplishing program benchmarks.  KidStriders Program


Satchel Paige Elementary School
Kansas City, MO, September 4, 2008.  The Satchel Paige Elementary School has established numerous in-school and after-school programs for children.  Examples of programs include physical activity clubs, community gardens, nutritional classes, dental services, and a walk to school program.  One highly recognized program is the Satchel Paige Double Dutch jump roping team who has participated in State competition.  Double Dutch in Missouri


Dallas Area Coalition to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Dallas, TX, August 29, 2008.  The Dallas Area Coalition to Prevent Childhood Obesity (DACPCO) strives to prevent childhood obesity through collaborative community, corporate, and educational activities.  DACPCO facilitates group partnerships that encourage and provide physical activity and optimal nutrition for children.  DACPCO received the 2008 Leadership Award from TEAM United – a coalition of professional athletes and corporations working to prevent childhood obesity.  DACPCO


Just Move It Program
Shiprock, NM, August 27, 2008.  The Just Move It (JMI) Program is a national campaign to promote physical activity for American Indians and Alaska Natives.  JMI utilizes group activities and peer support to encourage individuals to start and/or continue being active.  JMI was established in 1993 with the Navajo Nation and currently has 28,481 participants representing 324 partners. Just Move It


The BodyWorks Program- New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM, August 26, 2008.  The BodyWorks Program is a federally-funded program that encourages healthy family eating and activity habits.  Qualified BodyWorks Trainers teach adolescent obesity prevention tools to parents and caregivers.  The Indian Health Service and the Office of Women’s Health collaborated to develop a BodyWorks toolkit specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native audiences.  These new toolkits are being used at multiple New Mexico locations.  BodyWorks Program


The Maine Healthy Weight Awareness Campaign
Augusta, ME, July 1, 2008. The Maine Healthy Weight Awareness Campaign is a social marketing program that provides Maine parents simple steps to keep their children and families healthy and active. The campaign concentrates on increased physical activity, adherence to serving size recommendations, less soda intake, reduced screen time, and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Maine Healthy Weight Awareness Campaign


The Early Sprouts Program
Manchester, NH, July 1, 2008. At Keene State College, the nutrition and early childhood education faculty have collaborated with HNHfoundation to develop the 24-week Early Sprouts Program. Early Sprouts is a research-based Nutrition and Gardening curriculum for the preschool years. The program scope includes raised organic garden beds, sensory experiences, and cooking lessons focused on six target fruits and vegetables. Early Sprouts Program


Go Kids Boston
Boston, MA, June 30, 2008. Go Kids Boston is a research and training center focused on improving children’s fitness, with a special emphasis on diverse, low income populations. Through movement, education, and technology, Go Kids Boston helps children and their families take action to lead healthier lives. Go Kids Boston


(L-R) Surgeon General Galson, David Abdoo - HHS, U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, and Anne Davis, founding trustee of the New Balance Foundation

Greater Lawrence Family Health Care Center (GLFHC) & New Balance Foundation
Lawrence, MA, June 30, 2008. GLFHC provides a network of comprehensive health care to improve the health of individuals and families. Childhood obesity prevention is the primary focus of the New Balance Foundation. The GLFHC and New Balance Foundation partnership addresses the health risks of being overweight as a child and promotes healthy choices that lead to healthy lives. GLFHC and New Balance Foundation


Eagle Mountain Magnet Elementary
Batesville, AR, June 19, 2008. Eagle Mountain Magnet school offers the following creative activities/clubs: Feelin’ Good Mileage Club, Yoga for Kids, Jump Rope Team, Biking Adventure, International Dance, Healthy Cooking Class, among others. The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) has named Eagle Mountain an Active Lifestyle Model School since 2005. PCPFS Model School


Howe Academy - PE4life
Indianapolis, IN, May 28, 2008. PE4life focuses on lifetime learning of physical activities and quality physical education. Since 2001, the PE4life Academies have trained more than 1,500 teachers, administrators and community leaders and have impacted the lives of more than 1.7 million students. In 2006, the Howe Academy was one of six schools in the country named to a national PE4life program.


Lawrence Township School Foundation (LTSF) - My Community Gets Healthy
Indianapolis, IN, May 28, 2008. The LTSF partners with several community organizations in the My Community Gets Healthy (MCGH) initiative. The initiative brings comprehensive, sustainable fitness and wellness programs into all Lawrence Township schools. For example, more than 700 Lawrence Township students are participating in a core MCGH program. MCGH includes professional health education and fitness instruction during and after school and also incorporates wellness instruction for families.


Native American Health Center - Tribal Athletics Program
Oakland, CA, May 20, 2008. The Native American Health Center assists American Indians and Alaska Natives to improve and maintain their physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being with respect to cultural traditions. The Tribal Athletics Program illustrates the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle through team sports (soccer, introductory lacrosse, etc.) to prevent childhood obesity and decrease other health risks.


National Business Group on Health
Washington, DC, May 13, 2008. The National Business Group on Health (NBGH) is the national voice of large employers specifically dedicated to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to the nation’s most important health care issues. NBGH created the Institute on the Cost and Health Effects of Obesity which is focused on developing strategies to leverage corporate resources to respond to the nation's obesity epidemic.


Trim Kids Program at the YMCA of Greater New Orleans
New Orleans, LA, May 8, 2008. Trim Kids is a 12-week pediatric weight management program designed by the Louisiana State University (LSU) Prevention of Childhood Obesity Laboratory. Trim Kids gives parents and children a positive, safe approach to lifetime weight management. The program utilizes weekly checklists, report and goal sheets, aerobic activity and food checklists, and strength and flexibility workout charts to help the child and parents stay motivated and to continue with the program.


Walt Disney’s Well-Balanced Food Initiative
Orlando, FL, May 6, 2008. The Walt Disney Company has incorporated healthier food choices for kids at its theme parks and properties since 2006. A typical kids' meal now offered at Disney is automatically served with low fat milk, 100-percent fruit juice or water along with side dishes like apple sauce or carrots in place of the traditional soft drinks and French fries.


Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson rides a bicycle in a group of young people at the Bicycle Transportation Alliance event in Portland, OR.

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA)
Portland, OR, April 9, 2008: The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is a non-profit membership organization working to promote bicycling and improve bicycling conditions in Oregon and SW Washington. BTA creates healthy, sustainable communities by teaching children safe bicycling techniques and making bicycling more convenient and more accessible for everyone.


The Campaign to make Delaware’s Kids the Healthiest in the Nation
Wilmington, DE, April 3, 2008: This campaign, launched by Nemours Health and Prevention Services in partnership with the Delaware Governor, encourages children to eat right and be more physically active through the 5-2-1-Almost None lifestyle for healthy living:

  • 5 — Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day
  • 2 — Spending no more than two hours per day in front of a screen (TV, video games, recreational computer time)
  • 1 — Getting at least one or more hours of physical activity per day
  • Almost None — Drinking almost no sugary beverages (like soda, sports drinks and some juices)


Reshaping…Real Lives Initiative, Enloe GT Magnet High School, Wake County Public School System
Raleigh, NC, March 28, 2008: Enloe High and Wake County built a fully functional, state-of-the-art wellness center to offer students healthy activities to choose from both during and after the school day. Students can now collect and analyze their own personal fitness data, which has proven very successful in maximizing the students’ interest in their own health.


Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade County
Miami, FL, March 19, 2008: The Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade County is creating a healthier community through innovative and effective community-based health promotion, prevention, and control programs. This network of over 50 traditional and non-traditional partners uses Healthy People 2010 as a blueprint for proactively addressing risk factors that can be modified years before they contribute to illness and premature death. The Consortium is open to all interested persons and organizations.


Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson joins students in a game at Nautilus Middle School in the wellness center.

Nautilus Middle School
Miami, FL, March 19, 2008: A newly established wellness center in the Nautilus Middle School has merged technology and fitness to keep children fit and healthy. The students use video-game equipped treadmills, motion-sensor dance games and a rock-climbing wall, all which promote an active lifestyle. In addition, students can watch podcasts of math lessons as they exercise. The center was funded by a Carol M. White Physical Education Grant.