Oakland County Health Division, in partnership with University of Detroit Mercy, will present Wattles Elementary School in Troy with the 2007 Healthy School Award. The award will be presented during a school assembly on November 20th at 10:00 a.m., at Wattles Elementary (3555 Ellenboro, Troy).
The award recognizes Oakland County schools with outstanding school health environments. All public and private schools in the county were asked to complete a survey regarding the school’s healthy eating and physical activity practices. Wattles received $1,000 for this achievement to be used towards future school health activites.
“We looked at the health programs schools were involved in, the type of food and physical activity opportunities being offered to students, and the overall efforts to make the school healthier” states George Miller, Manager/Health Officer, Oakland County Health Division. “Wattles Elementary was a clear leader in all these areas and more.”
For instance, Wattles Elementary requires that only healthy treats are served for classroom celebrations. Instead of cupcakes and cookies, students bring in fruit, pretzels and yogurt. The school lunch program offers baked foods instead of fried, and milk and water are the only beverages available in vending machines.
Wattles has also been involved in Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson’s Count Your Steps Pedometer Walking Program since the programs inception. The school offers a variety of other physical activity programs to their students including Presidential Fitness Program, Walk to School Day, and ACES (All Children Exercising Simultaneously).
“Schools play an essential role in supporting healthy behaviors and reducing the risk of childhood obesity,” states L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive. “It’s encouraging to see school administrators committed to improving student health.”
The Healthy School Award second place winner was Woodland Elementary in Troy, and third place winner was William Grace Elementary in Farmington Hills.
For more information: Contact Heidi Devereux, Public Health Educator, Oakland County Health Division, 248-424-7159.
