Application Requirements

• Application is submitted by a public school
• Application is signed by the principal
• Applicants agree to highlight their exemplary program at a minimum of one professional meeting or conference at the local, state, or national level if selected as an award winning school

Applicants must demonstrate: Implementation of a comprehensive health education program that positively impacts the lives of students, and coordination between health education and other components of school health.

Elementary, Middle and High School Applications must display the following:

• A dedicated, comprehensive, skills-based health education course is required for every student across all school grades for at least one term/grading period each year.
• Health education is supported by administrators.
• Health education curriculum is aligned with national/state/local health education standards.
• Health education curriculum and instruction are comprehensive and follow best practice.
  • Reducing risk-taking behaviors, strengthening protective factors, and reinforcing health-enhancing attitudes and beliefs.
  • Personal and social skills to enhance health, including communication, decision-making, goal-setting, and advocacy skills.
  • Instructional strategies that focus on adopting and maintain specific health skills in a variety of health content areas.
  • Multiple opportunities to learn and practice health-enhancing skills across grades.
  • Culturally appropriate materials,
  • All students are assessed in health education and results are reported on the report card every term that health education is offered.
  • Health education is taught by trained teachers at the appropriate school level.
    • Provide examples of professional development that your school has offered or trainings that teachers have attended related to health education during the past 3 years.
    • Health education is coordinated with other subjects and services.
      • Describe how health education is integrated into other subject areas such as math, language arts, social studies, etc.
      • Indicate whether the school building has a School Health Leadership Team, School Health Advisory Council, or School Wellness Committee.
      • Indicate whether your school district has a School Health Leadership Team or SHAC.
      • Does the district level group have at least one health education teacher from your school?
      • Describe how the health education program is coordinated with other aspects of school health such as physical and behavioral health services, physical education and physical activity; nutrition services, family and community involvement, and school employee wellness.

Middle School Additions

• Middle school  health education teachers are certified/licensed to teach health education

High School Additions

• Health education electives are offered.
• High school health education teachers are certified/licensed to teach health education.