Health, wellness efforts earn Lunt, other schools national nod

Three Clark County schools were nationally recognized for their efforts last school year to create a healthier environment for students and their families.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a nonprofit organization co-founded in 2005 by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation to reduce childhood obesity, honored 251 schools from 25 states in October, including Sewell Elementary School, 700 E. Lake Mead Parkway; Lunt Elementary School, 2701 Harris Ave.; and Northwest Career and Technical Academy, 8200 W. Tropical Parkway.

This was Sewell’s second consecutive year being recognized. It earned a silver designation. Lunt and Northwest Career and Technical Academy earned bronze designations for the first time.

More than 120 Clark County School District schools have applied to the Alliance, and Sewell was the first in Nevada to earn the bronze award last school year. The Alliance also gives out gold and platinum awards. It provides guidelines for reaching the different levels of the program.

Sewell offered monthly incentives such as gift certificates to students and teachers who logged the most miles walking around the playground. It also changed all of its vending machine snacks to items approved by the Alliance, started a school garden, received a grant to serve fresh fruits and vegetables, and stopped using food as incentives.

Sewell also started a "Biggest Loser" contest for its staff members, with about 80 percent of teachers participating, said principal Carrie Buck.

"This year, we’re trying to step it up a little bit for the staff," Buck said. "… When we got the staff involved, they were more likely to transfer it to the students."

Buck said healthier students are proven to do better academically, too.

"Health plays into the whole child," she said. "It goes hand in hand (with academics)."

At Lunt, principal Thelma Davis started a monthly Wellness Day, where parents and other family members are invited to walk laps on the school’s field. The classroom with the most guests participating wins a trophy for the month. The school’s fifth-grade Wellness Club also gives a presentation on different health-related topics.

Davis said the first few Wellness Days were not well-attended but have since had between 100 and 200 family members attend.

The school also has a morning running club that teachers, students and families can join and earn a T-shirt after accumulating 26 miles.

"The kids love to do it," Davis said. "They’re here early anyway. They run like crazy."

Northwest Career and Technical Academy was one of the few high schools in the country to receive an award. Chris Smith, a math and public speaking teacher, pushed for changes in the school’s health habits because of personal experience.

In May 2009, Smith weighed 322 pounds. He joined Weight Watchers and is down to 210 pounds.

"I know what it’s like to grow up and be overweight in school," he said. "I grew up a heavy kid, and getting something like this started was my goal."

His school eliminated "unhealthy" fundraisers, switched to healthy items in the vending machines and added physical fitness classes for juniors and seniors.

The school’s culinary students, who prepare the school lunches, also amended many recipes to fit the Alliance’s health guidelines.

"In terms of being a role model, it was important for a high school to take the plunge," Smith said. "Being the first high school (in Nevada to be recognized by the Alliance) has presented its challenges."

Smith said the school is retooling its approach to keep what works and modify what was ineffective.

Fundraisers, for example, have not made as much money as in the past. Smith said he hopes to maintain the bronze status and help other high schools interested in the program.

Students’ reaction to the changes has been "mixed," Smith said.

"There was some rebellion at first," he said. "Nobody likes change. It’s one of those things they’re starting to get used to, and it’s become the daily norm. It’s less and less of a struggle."

Buck said Sewell has hit its ceiling for now and that moving up to gold or silver status would be nearly impossible.

"There’s no way because it’s out of our control," she said. "It’s a district thing. For example, you have to serve a certain amount of fish every day (to meet gold or silver status). It’s not feasible for fish to be served. We have a hard enough time serving a bean and cheese burrito."

For more information, visit healthiergeneration.org.

Contact View education reporter Jeff Mosier at jmosier@viewnews.com or 702-224-5524.