For immediate release
Nov. 2, 2011
Kathy Toelkes, Director of Communications, 785-296-4876
Kansas schools honored at White House
HealthierUS School Challenge award recipients recognized by First Lady
TOPEKA – Six Kansas school districts were among the 1,273 schools in attendance at an October 17 ceremony in Washington, D.C., to recognize schools that achieved a HealthierUS School Challenge award during the 2010-11 school year. The White House event was hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama.
Twenty-four Kansas schools were invited to attend the ceremony in recognition of their accomplishments in the HealthierUS School Challenge. The program, which is part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, provides four levels of awards – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Gold with Distinction – to schools that have made changes to improve the quality of foods they serve, provide students with nutrition education, and provide students with physical education and opportunities for physical activity. Each award comes with a monetary prize; $500 for Bronze, $1,000 for Silver, $1,500 for Gold, and $2,000 for Gold Distinction.
Among the Kansas schools in attendance, Fowler Elementary School, USD 225 Fowler, earned top honors in the program, receiving the Gold with Distinction award. Martha Ohnick, food service manager at Fowler Elementary, attended the ceremony on behalf of the school.
Liberal USD 480 earned nine Gold awards throughout the district. Connie Vogts, food service director for the Liberal School District, attended the White House ceremony on behalf of Garfield Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, MacArthur Elementary School, McDermott Elementary School, McKinley Elementary School, Southlawn Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, Cottonwood Intermediate School and Sunflower Intermediate School.
Sublette Elementary School, USD 374 Sublette, received a Silver award. The school’s food service manager, Jackie Pierce, attended the ceremony. Also awarded the Silver award was St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School in Wichita. Kelley McVey, food service director, was in attendance at the ceremony.
Logan Elementary School, USD 345 Seaman, achieved a Bronze award in the program. District Food Service Director Kaye Kabus and Logan Elementary Food Service Manager Karlin Price were in attendance. The Auburn-Washburn School District, USD 437, was also awarded a total of eight Bronze awards throughout the district. Retired Food Service Director Donna Bateman attended the ceremony on behalf of Auburn Elementary School, Farley Elementary School, Indian Hills Elementary School, Jay Shideler Elementary School, Pauline Central Primary School, Pauline South Intermediate School, Wanamaker Elementary School and Washburn Rural Middle School.
Other schools invited to participate but unable to attend were St. Anne Catholic School, Wichita (Silver); Sullivan Elementary School, USD 214 Ulysses (Bronze) and Copeland Elementary School, USD 476 Copeland (Bronze).
For more information on the HealthierUS School Challenge, or to see a complete list of award winners, visit www.fns.usda.gov/tn/healthierus/index.html.
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