The Healthy Zone School Recognition Program has selected 14 Frisco ISD schools to participate in the three-year program.
The program, Developed by The Cooper Institute in partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the Texas Education Agency, assists schools in promoting healthy behaviors for students, faculty and the community.
Each school will receive more than $7,000 over a three-year period to implement health-related activities on campus.
Stanley Middle School, one of the FISD schools chosen for the program, has been encouraging healthier lifestyles for several years, said Jon Maupin, Stanley Middle School coach and health teacher.
Some of the programs the school has implemented include eighth graders designing health programs for teachers and "brain break" exercises, where students do activities to recharge their minds, Maupin said.
With the grant money from the program, Maupin said he plans to buy new equipment for students and teachers.
"We do have a campaign here where the kids get a band, and on this band it says, 'One body. One chance. Choose wisely,'" he said. "The whole idea is that kids realize you've got one body. You've got one chance. Let's choose wisely. Let's take care of what you've got."
Principal Dennis McDonald said he's excited to continue emphasizing the importance of health and fitness at his school.
"We know that students learn better when they are healthy, and we know that teachers teach better when they're healthy," McDonald said. "The process of education is so much stronger when you have healthy people involved."
The schools are selected based on the current healthy practices they have implanted and their future plans to expand healthy activities.
The Frisco ISD campuses selected this year are:
Bledsoe Elementary School
Borchardt Elementary School
Corbell Elementary School
Fisher Elementary School
Griffin Middle School
Nichols Elementary School
Pink Elementary School
Riddle Elementary School
Rogers Elementary School
Scoggins Middle School
Staley Middle School
Taylor Elementary School
Wester Middle School
Wakeland High School
A total of 41 area schools were selected this year.
Anderson Elementary School is considered a Healthy School Alumni because it has been through the three-year program.
Individual public, private and charter schools in Collin, southern Denton, Dallas and Rockwall counties are all eligible to apply. School districts cannot apply for the program.
