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America's Healthiest Schools

Healthier Generation’s signature award program honors schools for the key role they play in advancing the health and well-being of students, staff, and families.

Get started with the America’s Healthiest Schools Readiness Tool.
Is your school one of America’s Healthiest Schools?

Apply by April 16, 2024


What does it mean to be one of America's Healthiest Schools?

“I am proud to be able to say that I am here, and I'm a part of this amazing school, and that we are [one of] America's Healthiest Schools.”

– Tonia Mabry, Guidance Counselor

Langley Park-mccormick Elementary School,
Prince George's County Public Schools
View past awardees:

What is America’s Healthiest Schools?

America’s Healthiest Schools celebrates schools for implementing evidence-based practices to support the physical, mental, and social-emotional health needs of their learning community. 

Schools function best when students and educators are happy and healthy. Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s annual recognition program honors schools for the key role they play in advancing the health and well-being of students, staff, and families. 

Awardees verify implementation of prioritized criteria from the Thriving Schools Integrated Assessment, a self-assessment tool that helps school communities identify strengths and opportunities for improving policies and practices in the ways that matter most to them. 

What topics are recognized in America’s Healthiest Schools?

School teams may apply for recognition in one or more topic areas—up to nine total. Schools that achieve recognition in all nine topic areas are designated All-Star Awardees.
  • Supporting School Health Services
    Recognizes school teams that routinely conduct health screenings, address chronic health conditions, and provide a pathway for students with health concerns to receive additional support from the school or community-based providers.
  • Implementing Local School Wellness Policy
    Recognizes school teams that implement the district wellness policy with the support of a diverse set of representatives, set measurable goals, and reflect on progress, successes, and challenges.
  • Improving Nutrition & Food Access
    Presented by: Del Monte Foods
    Recognizes school teams that implement strategies to maximize school meal participation, meaningfully collaborate with teachers on nutrition education, and partner with community organizations to improve families’ nutrition security.
  • Bolstering Physical Education & Activity
    Recognizes school teams that provide physical education using an evidence-based curriculum and integrate physical activity opportunities throughout the school day with all students, including students with special health needs.
  • Enriching Health Education
    Recognizes school teams that provide health education to all students, using an evidence-based curriculum, and prioritize opportunities for students to practice skills to maintain and improve their health.
  • Strengthening Social-Emotional Health & Learning
    Presented by: Kaiser Permanente
    Recognizes school teams that positively motivate participation and learning, implement an evidenced-based social-emotional learning curriculum, and provide opportunities for students to regulate their emotions and learn from their mistakes.
  • Promoting Tobacco-Free Schools
    Recognizes school teams that address tobacco use in youth through prevention education, actively engage students in promoting a tobacco-free campus and provide support and cessation intervention when students vape or use tobacco products.
  • Cultivating Staff Well-Being
    Presented by: Kaiser Permanente
    Recognizes school teams that provide resources to support breaks for all staff during the instructional day, actively promote staff relationship-building, and foster a culture of gratitude among colleagues.
  • Increasing Family & Community Engagement
    Presented by: Kohl’s
    Recognizes school teams that gather input from the school community, engage parents and caregivers in meaningful ways to support student success, and connect families to resources related to social drivers of health.

Why apply for America’s Healthiest Schools?

Earning recognition indicates that your school community is a leader in equitable whole-child health. As an awardee, your school will…

  • Appear on our award page, seen by millions nationwide each year through local and national media outlets such as USA Today, HuffPost, Woman’s Day, and more.
  • Gain access to America’s Healthiest Schools digital award package tools to help locally celebrate your achievement in supporting the whole health needs of students and school staff.
  • An opportunity to be invited to the America’s Healthiest Schools Leaders Summit. Leaders Summit is Healthier Generation’s marquee event celebrating schools for prioritizing the social, physical, and emotional health of their students and staff. Here are a few highlights of Leaders Summit 2023.

“Students are eating healthier, learning social skills, and are more physically active. We are one of America’s Healthiest Schools and an All-Star Awardee because Pinellas County School District created clear policies and procedures and prioritized professional learning to promote a healthy school environment.”

– Melissa Russell, Teacher and Wellness Champion

Lynch Elementary School,
Pinellas County Schools, FL
2023 All-Star Awardee

What is the application timeline?

School teams may apply in the Healthier Generation Action Center.

  • Application Opens: January 9, 2024
  • Application Closes: April 16, 2024
  • Award Notification: Summer 2024
  • Award Celebration: Fall 2024

All applications are due by April 16, 2024. Get help and apply early!

Who can apply for America’s Healthiest Schools?

Any public or private school under the direction of a Local Educational Agency, Charter Management Organization (CMO), or Bureau of Indian Education in the United States can apply for recognition as one of America’s Healthiest Schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools. Early childhood centers, virtual, and non-traditional schools may apply in the topic areas applicable to their learning environment.

The program will recognize schools on an annual basis. Schools, regardless of their previous award status, are encouraged to reapply to be recognized each year as a demonstration of their commitment over time to meaningful and sustainable change.

How can my school team apply for America’s Healthiest Schools?

1
Decide which topic area(s) to include in your application.
2
Gather the required evidence.
  • After you know the topic(s) your school will include in your application, prepare your school team’s required evidence using the Award Guide.
  • For each topic in your application, provide implementation details and upload documentation sent to students, families, or staff.
  • Invite all school team members who will upload the required evidence for each topic criteria.
3
Submit Your Application
  • Find the 2024 Award Application on your school’s Action Center Dashboard.
  • The school staff member, teacher, or administrator most knowledgeable about implementing each practice should complete the related topic.
  • Each topic in the application will take about 30 minutes to complete.
  • Multiple team members can work simultaneously in the Action Center.
  • Make sure your application includes all the required evidence. There is no opportunity to re-submit or clarify documentation.
  • Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT, April 16, 2024.
  • Watch a video tour of the award application.

How can district administrators and staff support their team’s application?

Schools are more likely to be awarded as one of America’s Healthiest Schools when system administrators build and support a healthy school community.


Help and Support

Help and Support

The Healthier Generation team is here every step of the way to support your success.

Is your school one of America’s Healthiest Schools?