Richland High School has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of more than 9,000 dollars to implement the schools Health and Wellness Program. Studies illustrate that the health habits children develop at a young age will continue with them through adulthood and the grant will support Richland High Schools efforts in introducing programs that will ultimately create healthier, more successful students.

Richland School District will be using the grant to expand their fitness program. The program is expected to reach over 800 students in grades 7-12. “We are encouraging our students to be physically active on a daily basis. The equipment bought through this grant will help us to promote lifelong healthy activity for all of our students” said Mrs. Dumm, Health and Physical Education Teacher.

Since 2007, the Highmark Foundation, through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge, has awarded a total of $ 3.5 million in grants to 496 schools in 47 counties across Pennsylvania for programs that address bullying prevention and self-esteem, improve nutrition education enhance nutrition choices and provide opportunities for physical activity.

“The Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge Grant Program is geared toward helping schools address their unique health and wellness challenges, said Yvonne Cook, president of the Highmark Foundation. “This grant provides Richland with the resources and tools to implement an innovative program that will help their students establish life long, healthy habits.

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 informal 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. For more information, visit www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org or call 800-789-1726.