Schools, nurses, health champions and community partners have been recognised for their health promotion efforts.

Recipients of the Healthy Schools Awards were presented with certificates for their success in encouraging health among their students and staff.

“Today we celebrate and recognise the schools that have consistently promoted health to their students, staff and communities,” Jeanne Atherden, the Minister of Health and Seniors, said.

“We recognise that the Healthy Schools programme is a link between education and health. Almost all of our children’s growth takes place while he or she is a student.

“So schools are the perfect place to teach important lessons about the relationship between nutrition, health and wellness.

“The simple fact is that when students are healthy, they are better able to achieve their potential.

“This year a total of 26 of the 32 public and private primary, middle and senior schools were reviewed,” Ms Atherden added. “Each school received a gold star and has been designated as a health promoting school.

Ms Atherden explained that schools were previously recognised with platinum, gold, silver or bronze level awards.

This year, they were assessed in one of the ten components of the new healthy schools model promoted by the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

And in the next school year, all schools will be assessed on five of these components and the remaining five the next year.

Ms Atherden added: “In addition, 31 individuals were nominated as health champions by their schools and eight school nurses have been recognised for their consistent support of health promotion in their schools.”

Certificates were also awarded to the schools that have water-only policies or practices, and do not allow soft drinks.

The awards were presented by Ms Atherden, education minister Wayne Scott, Healthy Schools co-ordinator Marie Beach-Johnson, Arnold Manders, the curriculum officer for health and physical education, and David Kendell, the director of the Department of Health.

GOLD STAR AWARD WINNERS

Health education: Bermuda High School, Dalton E Tucker Primary School, St David’s Primary School.

Nutrition environment and services: Bermuda Institute, Harrington Sound Primary School, Heron Bay Primary School, Prospect Primary School, Somerset Primary School.

Physical education and activity: Berkeley Institute, Dellwood Middle School, East End Primary School, Elliot Primary School, Francis Patton Primary School, Gilbert Institute Primary School, Mount Saint Agnes Academy, Northlands Primary School, Paget Primary School, Port Royal Primary School, Purvis Primary School, Saltus Grammar School, Sandys Secondary Middle School, Somersfield Academy, Victor Scott Primary School, West End Primary School.

Physical environment: CedarBridge Academy, Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy.

HEALTH CHAMPIONS

Tiannia Symonds (Berkeley Institute)

Melanie Burrows (CedarBridge Academy)

Shanda Simmons (Dalton E Tucker Primary)

Veronica Baptista (Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy)

Sarah Robinson (East End Primary)

Marion Askia (East End Primary)

Lyndsey Ford (Elliot Primary)

Chayce Smith (Elliot Primary)

Florence Sharpe-Trott (Francis Patton Primary)

Suzette Cheeseman (Gilbert Institute)

Kristen Johnston (Harrington Sound Primary)

Amanda Lohan (Heron Bay Primary)

Kim Raymond (Mount Saint Agnes Academy)

Quincy Aberdeen (Northlands Primary)

Treamae Smith (Paget Primary)

Stacy Babb (Port Royal Primary)

Anthony Peets (Prospect Primary)

Desmond Mello (Purvis Primary)

Zindzi Swan (Purvis Primary)

Lindsay Manderson (Saltus Grammar)

Stacey Williams (Somersfield Academy)

Richard Campbell (Somerset Primary)

ShaeVonne Welch (St David’s Primary)

Theresa Oswald Sinclair (Victor Scott Primary)

Norma-Jean Richardson (West End Primary)

Wendell Smith (West Pembroke Primary)

School nurses: Veronica Baptista, Rebecca Dunkle, Monica Lindo, Lindsay Manderson, Lisa Mattis, Rebecca Medeiros, Erinn Smith, Deann Trott.

Recognition certificates: Argus, Barritt’s, BF&M, Dunkley’s Dairy, La Trattoria

For Ms Atherden’s full speech, see the PDF under “related media”.