Highmark Foundation News

Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge Program Awards $526,000 in Grants to 65 Pennsylvania Schools

PITTSBURGH, July 22 PRNewswire — The Highmark Foundation, through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge, recently awarded nearly $526,000 in grants to 65 elementary, middle and high schools across Pennsylvania during the second quarter of 2008. The grants will support programs that address bullying prevention and self-esteem, improve nutrition education, enhance nutrition choices and provide opportunities for physical activity.

"Through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge, we have asked schools to be proactive and creative to help their students develop healthy lifestyles," said Highmark Foundation President Yvonne Cook. "We recognize that schools receiving these grants are making significant progress in implementing programs that they feel address the health needs of their students."

The board of the Highmark Foundation has committed the resources to award a total of $2.5 million in grants this year through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge. The program has generated an overwhelming response from the schools and has awarded a total of $1.5 million to 192 schools thus far in 2008.

"We know that schools play a vital role in the lives of children and adolescents and we are proud to provide them with the resources and tools that will improve the health status of their students," said Cook. "We would like to encourage schools that have not applied for a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge to take the opportunity and time to do so."

The Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge has also expanded to award grants for programs that focus on bullying prevention and self-esteem this year. In past years, School Challenge grants were awarded only to physical activity and nutrition initiatives.

Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grants are awarded throughout the year. Schools are invited to apply for School Challenge grants by visiting the Highmark Healthy High 5 Web site at http://www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org and clicking on "Grant Process for Schools," to download and complete the grant application.

The following schools received Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grants April through June 2008. For more information on the supported program at each school, visit http://www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org and click on "Schools."

Allegheny Bethel Park District - Independence Middle School Bethel Park District - Neil Armstrong Middle School Bethel Park District - Bethel Park High School Deer Lakes School District - Curtisville Primary Center Shaler Area School District - Shaler Area High School Steel Valley School District - Franklin Primary School West Jefferson Hills School District - Jefferson Elementary Beaver Aliquippa School District - Aliquippa Middle School Berks Wilson School District - Cornwall Terrace Elementary School Blair Altoona Area School District - Washington - Jefferson Elementary Altoona Area School District - Baker Elementary School Altoona Area School District - Juniata Elementary School Altoona Area School District - Logan Elementary School Altoona Area School District - McAuliffe Heights Program at Irving School Altoona Area School District - Penn Lincoln Elementary School Altoona Area School District - Pleasant Valley Elementary School Altoona Area School District - Wright Elementary School Altoona Area School District - Ebner Elementary School Hollidaysburg Area School District - Allegheny One Elementary Cambria Northern Cambria School District - Northern Cambria Elementary School Crawford Crawford Central School District - Cochranton Junior - Senior High School Crawford Central School District - Meadville Area Senior High School Crawford Central School District - Meadville Middle School Crawford Central School District - Neason Hill Elementary School Penncrest School District - Cambridge Springs High School Cumberland The Harrisburg Academy Dauphin Lower Dauphin School District - Nye Elementary School St. Stephen's Episcopal School Elk Ridgway Area School District - Francis S. Grandinetti Elementary School Erie General McLane School District - General McLane High School General McLane School District - James W. Parker Middle School Iroquois School District - Iroquois Elementary School School District of the City of Erie - Glenwood Elementary School School District of the City of Erie - Lincoln Elementary School School District of the City of Erie - Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elementary School School District of the City of Erie - Woodrow Wilson Middle School Forest Forest Area School District - East Forest School Forest Area School District - West Forest Elementary Secondary School Greene Southeastern Green School District - Mapletown Jr/Sr High School Indiana Marion Center Area School District - W.A. McCreery Middle School Lawrence Mohawk Area School District - Mohawk Jr/Sr High School Shenango Area School District - Shenango Elementary School Mercer Farrell Area School District - Farrell Elementary School Farrell Area School District - Farrell Senior High School Northampton Northampton Area School District - George Wolf Elementary School Northampton Area School District - Lehigh Elementary School Northampton Area School District - Moore Elementary School Northampton Area School District - Northampton Borough Elementary Perry Greenwood School District - Greenwood Middle/High School Newport School District - Newport Middle/High School Schuylkill Tamaqua Area School District - Rush Elementary Tamaqua Area School District - Tamaqua Elementary Tamaqua Area School District - West Penn Elementary Tri-Valley Area School District - Tri-Valley Jr/Sr High School Snyder Selinsgrove Area School District - Selinsgrove Area High School Selinsgrove Area School District - Selinsgrove Area Middle School Somerset Berlin Brothersvalley School District - Berlin Brothersvalley Middle School Conemaugh Township Intermediate School Windber Area School District - Windber Middle/High School Windber Area School District - Windber Elementary School Washington California School District - California Area High School Westmoreland Ligonier Valley School District - R.K. Mellon Elementary School Yough School District - Yough Intermediate Middle School York Red Lion Area School District - Red Lion Area Senior High School

About Highmark Healthy High 5

Highmark Healthy High 5 is a five-year, $100 million children's health promotion initiative of the Highmark Foundation. The mission of the initiative is to improve the health of children and adolescents ages 6-18 by providing them with the tools and practices needed to make informed decisions about living healthier lives. Highmark Healthy High 5 addresses five critical children's health promotion issues — nutrition, physical activity, self-esteem, grieving, and bullying prevention — by raising awareness, changing behavior through grants and programs, and providing resources to parents, schools and communities served by the Highmark Foundation.

Highmark Healthy High 5 is an initiative of the Highmark Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org or call 800-789-1726.

SOURCE Highmark Foundation

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