HealthMPowers, Inc.

So often schools are focused on test scores and making AYP, but the students at our school are concerned about decisions that will affect them the rest of their lives. Our students are led by a group of health-conscious leaders who promote healthy behaviors on a daily basis. Our students are quick to point out unhealthy habits and look for ways to incorporate moving into our daily lives. Students encourage one another and adults to take the longer route when walking, wash hands often, drink lots of water, and eat fruits and vegetables. The students at UPE are excited about making healthy choices that will benefit them from now on!!!

I have been involved with HMP for the ten years of existence. I am very proud that there is a program in Georgia that is attacking these health issues. The environment a child is living plays such a big part of how changes can be made. HMP addresses these influences and engages parents, school staff and children together. Being a “Baby Boomer” we were encouraged to play outside and spent very little “sofa time”. HMP is making great strides is getting today’s children of Georgia to return to healthier eating and exercise routine as a normal day to day existence. Childhood obesity has become a very serious medical problem nationwide that can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These were once issues that only affected adults yet now we have to deal with them on a child’s level . We are a fatter society than ever existed. We do have a health crisis on our hands and HMP is addressing the affect today’s environment is having on our youth. There is no other program like it in Georgia. It is unmatched and needs to be spread nationwide.

HealthMPowers is a wonderful organization that has survived and flourished despite a continual need for funds to support their mission of helping establishing healthy eating habits and exercise programs for children in the middle and elementary school environment. It has taken real dedication from the staff to make this happen and they continually upgrade their programs to achieve more positive results. It's hard to believe how far this organization has progressed in the past few years.

HealthMPowers is working to ensure Georgia's children at healthy. While other give great lipservice to this idea this groups is on the ground making measurable impact. They are the type of organization need to help our children stay healthy and competitive in the world.

I was introduced to HealthMPowers through my principal. I was excited to hear there was an organization out there willing to help me in my teaching field in helping students on not just physical fitness but more importantly on nutrition. I see so MANY over-weight elementary students and it scares me what they will look like in ten years. I truly believe the statement that this will be the first generation that will not out live their parents!! The HMP staff are the most passionate excited group I ever worked with. I get such a rush when we have one of our meetings that I just wnat to go back to my school and save the world, LOL!!!! They really are great in providing all the information that I need to promote this healthy way of living lifestyle. They hold NOTHING back. They definitely deserve National Recognition!!! Thank you for allowing me to speak on behalf of this awesome organization. Coach, Donna Peavy, Pulaski County Elementary School. Hawkinsville, Ga.

HealthMPowers, formerly Kids' Health, came to our elementary school in 2003 and guided us in the development of our School Health Council whose goal was to improve the mind, body and spirit of our students and staff through healthy nutrition and exercise habits. The work of local community members, school staff, PTA representatives, and couty-level leaders assisted us in the improvement of our school lunch program, the implementation of health risk appraisals for staff and students, before and after-school exercise clubs for students as well as th ehiring of a full time health educator. Over the years our involvement with HealthMPowers positively impacted the culture of our school; this fine organization held a summer leadership camp for our students which resulted in student-lead health programs during the school year.

HealthMPowers is an asset to our students, faculty, and parents. The program is designed to teach nutritional and fitness values to all of the individuals in our students lives. The staff at HealthMPowers is exceptional. They go out of their way to develop resources that are performance standard based for our classroom teachers to use and implement with our students. They have also assisted our school this year with implementing fitness testing with our 5th grade students and tracking their progress. The students love the Organ Wise Guys who are cartoon characters that help teach our students about the organs of the body, their function, and what we should do to help them work effectively. Our students, staff, and parents love the information and how helpful it is for us all to increase our physical well being.

The committment and success of HealthMPowers associates should be recognized. They have completed 10 years with great success with their programming in schools throughout Georgia. Their associates and board members remain committed and actions clearly demonstrate their mission: "HealthMPowers promotes healthy behaviors and environments by empowering students, school staff and families to improve health and academic achievement"

I am the nutrition educator for my school system -Dalton Public Schools. We have completed the first of three years with HealthMPowers. The staff support that HealthMPowers offers to the classroom and other teachers is awesome. The assemblies that are performed at each school are full of great information for the children. The assemblies are high energy and motivational for the students. HealthMPowers is committed to their mission of educating young people regarding their health. I applaude their efforts and look forward to two more years with them as we move forward to year two.

I have been a Board Member for four years.At each Board meeting, I am continally amazed at the enthusiasm and dedication of the HealthMPowers executive team as well as the health educators. They all inspire me want to spread the gospel of a healthy lifestyle. They serve as great role models for the thousands of students, teachers and parents with whom they interact.

Wilcox Elementary was introduced to HealthMPowers by a local banker. Our school just finished the first year of the three year program. The HealthMPowers program is wonderful! Georgia's obesity rate is very high and this program teaches nutrition and exercise to elementary children, as well as adults. The children love the program. The program also offers health risk assesments for the faculty. This program should be in every school. The program is fun for the children. The staff at HelthMPowers has been very helpful and refuse to allow you to fail.

I was first introduced to HealthMPowers while teaching 5th grade at Hapeville Elementary School in Fulton County, GA. As I recall, it was their first year in our school. I was immediately blown away by the concept of encouraging healthy lifestyle choices in elementary age students. The impact on our students (and faculty) was amazing! I was so impressed with HealthMPowers that when I became an Assistant Principal the following year it was one of the first new programs that I urged my principal to implement. I am glad to say that we just finished our first year with HealthMPowers and our faculty, staff and students loved it! Not only has it had a positive impact on health/fitness in our building, it has also positively influenced the 'culture' of our school! Also, you will never meet a friendlier and more committed group of people than the staff at HealthMPowers. It is refreshing to see this group turn their passion for health/healthy lifestyle choices into such a power tool for schools across the state of Georgia. I, for one, consider our school blessed to have such a wonderful organization counted amongst our "partners" in education!!!

I’ve had the pleasure of working with HealthMPowers for nearly four years. During that time, I’ve seen the entire staff demonstrate an incredible commitment to the organization’s mission of promoting healthy behaviors and environments by empowering students, school staff, and families to improve health and academic achievement. This mission is of critical importance – especially considering Georgia ranks 3rd in the nation for childhood obesity. By partnering with schools, HealthMPowers meets students where they spend the majority of their time – in the classroom. The positive influence HealthMPowers has on the school environment has been seen in all the schools it serves. The organization has proven results, quantifiable statistics and vast anecdotal evidence. From cafeteria staff placing fruit before desserts in the lunch line and school administration working to change the food provided in the vending machine, to students opting to sell water instead of candy and engaging in a student advocate council, HealthMPowers is making a powerful difference.

I have worked with Health M Powers for 3 years now. I worked as an Assistant Principal in a school with Health M Powers and then I became a Principal and Health M Powers is a part of our program. I am also a Board Member. I just can't get enough of Health M Powers. In every different role, I have seen the value of and have been a strong suppporter of the work that Health M Powers does. Not only is Health M Powers changing lives but it is saving lives and I'm proud to be a part of it.

I have been a PE teacher for 19years and this has been the best years of my life for enthusiasium, training and enrichment. The Health M Powerment program trained me to be a change agent to our staff, faculty and our educational community. We now have a morning jump rope program that not only conditions our childrens' mind and body, but we give information about being healthy and strong. (We also, give them prizes).The newsletter is terrific in involving and exposing our students' artwork and participation efforts at another level. Our gardens are now used more effectively with our nutrition dept.and we have a healthy snack stand at our school, where the parents love it.The CDs and videos or too helpful. We have incentives for our staff and students for innovative games and contests,i.e.Catch A Teacher Being Healthy, Jump Rope Athon, Naming the most fruit/veg. contests, Morning announcement trivia, ...)HMP provided ideas, incentives and opportunities for development and growth in the areas of fitness and nutrition. We have started a new aerobics class and walking club on Mondays and Fridays. Our Thursday, after-school, Martial Arts class is excited when we share brochures, pencils, contest sheets and treats with them about health and nutrition. Each classroom has resources or access to many resources in the library , including videos, books, dolls, paraphernalia,...to enrich and supplement the classroom program. We are monitored and guided through computer access and training. Our Wellness Team is stronger and meeting regularly on vital information concerning the welfare of the school.The physical and health school atmosphere at Parkside is enthusiastic,knowledgeable, active, stonger, wiser and ready for the next year as we continue this wonderful partnership.

I have had the pleasure of working with HealthMPowers for the past 2 years. The partnership that Kennedy Elementary has with HealthMPowers has been instrumental in creating an atmosphere of students and adults making healthy lifestyle decisions. HealthMPowers does all the work to provide easy to present health lessons that are aligned with the GPS and can be integrated throughout ALL subject areas. HealthMPowers does an excellent job of coming to the schools to model lessons, do assemblies, and make connections with teachers and parents. One of the best exoeriences that Kennedy has had with HealthMPowers was the Body Walk. HealthMPowers set our gym up like the human body and everyone of my students took a trip through the body. The stations were set up in a manner that everyone of my volunteers could easily engage the students in that part of the lesson. It was an amazing experience for my students.

HealthMPowers is one of very few organizations in the nation with a proven program for promoting healthy behaviors in children. HealthMPowers provides exercise DVDs to engage students in physical activity, has been conducting testing that prospectively will be required by the state, assists in the development of nutrition educational programs for school cafeterias, develops and implement curricula, and conducts various other health-education activities throughout the state. As leading health authorities have said, all of the advances of modern medicine will be undone due to the ramifications from child obesity and overall unhealthy choices made by our children. HealthMPowers is on the front lines in reducing the potential negative effects by teaching children that healthy habits are important. HealthMPowers even goes one step further and seeks to encourage families to take a proactive approach in dealing with health issues. The statistical data collected clearly shows that HealthMPowers is succeeding in its goals. And, as even the First Lady Michelle Obama has recognized this is a crucial issue facing our nation today. Because of the issue's great importance and HealthMPowers' approach in leading children and families to healthier lifestyles a task not directly undertaken by many nonprofits in the nation, I believe that HealthMPowers is truly one of the Great Health NonProfits