Back in March, the Today Show picked Baltimore for its yearlong health, fitness, and anti-obesity campaign. Six months later, four Baltimore schools have been ranked among the healthiest in the country. So do we all owe Al Roker a big thank you?
Well, not exactly. The National Healthy Schools Award is given to schools that work to fight childhood obesity, improve health and wellness, and increase physical activity–and that work has been going on for much longer than the Today Show has been in town. For example, Timonium’s Pot Spring School — one of the winners —“sponsors Food Plate Fridays, the Race for Education pre-conditioning program and other wellness school initiatives,” according to school nurse Rebecca Colt-Ferguson. The other Maryland schools have done things like install yoga centers in classrooms and starting community walking clubs.
So our hearty (but healthful) congratulations go out to the students, staff, and teachers at the four schools (Along with Pot Spring, winners included Bear Creek in Dundalk, Halstead Academy in Towson, and Hillcrest in Catonsville) for their success in these areas.
Apparently they didn’t review the school lunch menus.