BIRMINGHAM – In an effort to help prevent childhood obesity, several North Alabama schools are taking part in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Healthy School Grant Program.
Blue Cross is awarding more than $318,000 in grants to 36 schools statewide, including six in the Tennessee Valley, from grades K through 12. The grants are used to implement school-based health and wellness programs, emphasizing increased exercise, nutrition, education, and parental involvement during the school year.
Some examples include new physical education equipment, walking tracks and bicycles, school gardens, rock climbing walls, and adaptive playground equipment.
The area schools are Brilliant School, Guin Elementary, Hamilton Elementary, Kilby Laboratory School in Florence, Red Bay Elementary and Russellville Elementary.
Each school is receiving a grant of up to $10,000 and more than 17,000 students will benefit from the program. Since 2012, Blue Cross has awarded over $3.2 million in 356 Be Healthy School Grants statewide, impacting more than 168,000 students.
