Sutton Middle School and Warren T. Jackson Elementary became the third and fourth schools in APS to earn bronze medal National Recognition Awards from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. They were two of only 11 Georgia schools to be so honored. The medals are awarded to schools for their wellness efforts, from nutrition to exercise. The schools joined Morningside Elementary and Burgess-Peterson Academy, which won bronze medals last year. The Alliance is a partnership between the William Jefferson Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association.
Sutton Principal Audrey Sofianos pointed to two major factors in winning the award: forming a wellness committee that included students, and the leadership of Sutton Academic Dean Michelle Bouldin. The school held a Friday “dance day” for a couple minutes at the end of the announcements to spotlight the school’s commitment to fitness. Sutton also held Wellness Days in which children participated in active, healthy movement-oriented activities, such as yoga and hip-hop dance. The school also featured classes that focused on nutrition and positive mental health and attitude.Â