Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Healthier Generation Announces “America’s Healthiest Schools”

  • 09/17/18

 New York, N.Y. – A record 461 schools, from 26 states and the District of Columbia, were recognized today as “America’s Healthiest Schools” by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a national organization that empowers kids to develop lifelong, healthy habits. 

America’s Healthiest Schools earned the distinction by successfully meeting a rigorous set of criteria for serving healthier meals and snacks, getting students moving more, offering high-quality health and physical education, and empowering school leaders to be healthy role models. The schools, 81 percent of which serve high-need populations, also receive Healthier Generation’s National Healthy Schools Award at the Bronze, Silver or Gold level, based on the standards they achieve.  

All of the award-winning, America’s Healthiest Schools: 

  • 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 

“The most important investments we can make are those that support kids’ health and education,” said Brian Weaver, Chief Program Officer at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. “We applaud these 461 award-winning schools for finding creative ways to keep all kids active, eating healthy and engaged in learning while setting them on a path to lifelong health.” 

America’s Healthiest Schools are all participants in Healthier Generation’s landmark Healthy Schools Program—one of the nation’s largest school-based childhood obesity prevention initiatives—which has worked with more than 42,000 schools serving over 25 million students since 2006. 

“America’s Healthiest Schools all recognize that when we prioritize children’s health, we increase their chances of excelling in school and beyond,” said Monica Hobbs Vinluan, Senior Program Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which has supported the Healthy Schools Program since its inception. “Every child—particularly those from low-income families or struggling communities—deserves to attend a school that is committed to both their overall health and academic success. That commitment will help all kids reach their full potential.” 

Healthier Generation’s work with award-winning schools is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The JPB Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Target Enterprise, Inc., Saint Luke's Foundation of Cleveland, Ohio, Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation and the Missouri Foundation for Health. 

The America’s Healthiest Schools campaign, an annual celebration of the award-winning schools, is sponsored in part by Novo Nordisk. 

To view the complete list of America’s Healthiest Schools visit HealthiestSchools.org.   

Featured

  • University of Illinois Moves Forward with College Sports’ Largest Digital Scoreboard

    The University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., recently announced a series of upgrades to Gies Memorial Stadium that will include the largest scoreboard in college sports, according to a news release.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.