Jan. 28, 2017
The Texas Medical Association
Foundation (TMAF) presented its 2017 John P. McGovern Champion of Health
Secondary Award to the Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) for its WATCH Champions of Health
Award (WCHA) program. WCHA celebrates Fort Bend schools that implement a
variety of wellness initiatives at their campus. The award targets wellness
initiatives important to promoting health in young people, including nutrition,
physical activity, mental health, tobacco prevention, obesity, and community
health.
“The foundation is
proud to celebrate the success of the Fort Bend School District in creating a
culture of good health. Their efforts will help students live healthier lives
now and in the future,” said Deborah A. Fuller, MD, president of TMAF.
“In
FBISD, we care about educating the ‘whole’ child, and through the collaborative
efforts of board members, district and school staff, and members of our School
Health Advisory Council, we are able to help our 74,000 students and their
families to live healthier lives,” said FBISD Superintendent Charles Dupre,
Ed.D. “It is an honor to receive second place in the Champion of
Health Award and to be recognized by the Texas Medical Association for our
efforts to promote best practices in school wellness.”
The district created
WCHA in 2012 to improve the quality of the wellness data the schools provide.
The award requirements have helped close the gap between the data the schools
report and what is happening on their campuses. Under WCHA, schools are
required to complete a total of five criteria. The first three criteria on the
list are mandatory. The criteria for the award are (1) hosting a health fair or
wellness event, (2) having a campus wellness committee, (3) offering a
campus-wide physical activity opportunity, (4) providing two tobacco prevention
activities, (5) offering nonfood based rewards, (6) integrating physical
activity and nutrition into core classes, (7) implementing a stress-prevention
program, and (8) offering a staff wellness program.
FBISD’s United
Healthcare School Wellness Coordinator, Stephanie Kellam, said, “By creating
the award and recognizing the winners with a banner, we have created an
atmosphere that encourages schools to invest in wellness initiatives throughout
the school year.”
TMAF Champion of Health
Award secondary honorees receive $2,500. The award is named after John P.
McGovern, MD, a philanthropist, scholar, and noted allergist who founded the
John P. McGovern Foundation in Houston. Dr. McGovern established a permanent
endowment at TMAF, which supports this award.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation,
representing more than 50,000 physician and medical student members. It is
located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies around the
state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans. TMA Foundation raises funds to support the public health and science priority
initiatives of TMA and the Family of Medicine.
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Contact: Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; email: brent.annear[at]texmed[dot]org
Marcus Cooper (512)
370-1382; cell: (512) 650-5336; email: marcus.cooper[at]texmed[dot]org
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