Georgia SHAPE School Grants Awarded
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Governor’s SHAPE Initiative are pleased to announce that 20 schools have received a total of $88,000 in Georgia SHAPE school grants. The schools include elementary, middle and high schools throughout the state.
Fourteen schools received up to $5,000 each to implement or improve physical activity and nutrition plans. Those plans are determined by health-related school assessments that prioritize the schools’ needs. The money will also be used for training and technical assistance. Six schools received up to $3,000 each to develop physical activity and nutrition plans.
Research has shown that children are much more physically active if they attend schools that schedule, promote and supervise opportunities such as structured recess, short classroom-based activity breaks and before and after-school activities. Georgia currently ranks third in the nation for overweight and obese children.
“These grants will go a long way toward improving childhood fitness and nutrition,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., DPH commissioner. “We must teach our children the importance of physical activity and the lifelong benefits of healthy eating, lessons they hopefully will carry with them throughout their lives.”
Congratulations to the schools selected as Georgia SHAPE Grant Recipients:
Implementation Grants:
- Bells Ferry Elementary School (Marietta)
- Valley Point Elementary School (Dalton)
- Evansdale Elementary School (Doraville)
- The Intown Academy (K-8) (Atlanta)
- Carrollton High School (Carrollton)
- Carrollton Elementary School (Carrollton)
- Carrollton Junior High School (Carrollton)
- Hancock Central Middle School (Hancock City)
- Jeff Davis High School (Hazlehurst)
- McEver Arts Academy (Gainesville)
- Spout Springs Elementary School (Flowery Branch)
- Lyons Primary School (Lyons)
- Winnona Park Elementary School (Decatur)
- River Ridge High School (Woodstock)
Planning Grants:
- Georgia Preparatory Academy Department of Juvenile Justice (Augusta)
- Mt. Yonah Elementary School (Sautee)
- John Johnson Elementary School (Bainbridge)
- Ivy Preparatory Young Men’s Leadership Academy (Atlanta)
- Crescent Elementary School (Griffin)
- Dalton High School (Dalton)
