For immediate release: Oct. 17, 2011

Contact Kevin Darst: 970.237.7110 | kcd1@pvhs.org

PVHS' Healthy Kids Club honored by First Lady Michelle Obama

Poudre Valley Health System's Healthy Kids Club was honored by First Lady Michelle Obama today as part of a White House ceremony honoring excellence in nutrition and physical activity.

The ceremony celebrated B.F. Kitchen Elementary School in Loveland, Colo., recipient of the Gold Award of Distinction from the USDA's HealthierUS Schools Challenge Program. The HealthierUS School Challenge began in 2004 and is now part of First Lady Obama's national Let's Move! Campaign; it recognizes excellence in nutrition and physical activity.

The Gold Award of Distinction is the highest level of recognition through the HealthierUS Schools Challenge. B.F. Kitchen and Kunsberg School for Chronically Ill Children on the National Jewish Health campus are the Colorado schools to earn such distinction.

Healthy Kids Club is a community health program sponsored by Poudre Valley Health System. Founded in 1998, Healthy Kids Club works with over 70 schools in northern Colorado to increase opportunities for physical activity, health education, and good nutrition.

B.F. Kitchen began working on school wellness in partnership with Healthy Kids Club five years ago. Since that time, Healthy Kids Club has furthered B.F. Kitchen's wellness efforts by: 

• providing nutrition and health education in the classroom.
• developing resources to incorporate physical activity breaks during the school day.
• providing resources that combine physical activity with math and literacy concepts.
• sponsoring their annual "Tiger Trample" walkathon, an activity-based fundraiser, providing swimming lessons for fourth-grade students.
• offering the annual "Schools on the Move Challenge" program where students in staff across three school districts log their physical activity and compete for prize money to support school wellness efforts.
• providing after school programs focusing on physical activity and health.
• providing health education programs and materials for families.
• providing technical assistance regarding best practices in school wellness.
• participating in their school and district wellness teams.

View pictures from the event at the Healthy Kids Club Facebook page.

--PVHS--