Upper Marlboro School Honored for Healthy Eating

Barack Obama Elementary School in Upper Marlboro is one of fifteen county public schools to be recognized for their efforts to increase healthy eating and physical activity for both students and staff.

The schools were awarded by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. A total of 18 county schools have been recognized for their healthy efforts this past year, according to school system information.

To earn these awards, schools revamped their meals service and physical activity programs to meet or exceeded stringent standards set by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program, which provides expert advice and free resources to more than 12,000 schools nationwide to help them reverse the national trend in childhood obesity.

Schools are eligible for Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum National Recognition Awards based on their level of achievement. 

“I commend our schools for their efforts to encourage healthy lifestyle choices," Schools Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. said in a statement. "Their programs and initiatives not only benefit young people while they are attending public school, they also influence the choices students will make in the future.”

High Bridge Elementary School received the highest recognition in the county this year, earning a Silver Award for their healthy initiatives. The Bowie school started an Around the World program that provides taste tests of fruits, vegetables, and other foods to highlight the cultural backgrounds of the school's students. Staff also created a monthly healthy eating and activity calendar that is sent home with students to share with their families.

The following 13 schools received Bronze Awards from the Alliance this year:

Baden Elementary School
Bladensburg Elementary School
Bond Mill Elementary School
Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School
Highland Park Elementary School
James McHenry Elementary School
Laurel Elementary School
Laurel High School
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
Robert R. Gray Elementary School
Rosa L. Parks Elementary School
Scotchtown Hills Elementary School
Springhill Lake Elementary School