HealthMPowers Recognizes Two Health Champions
Empowering health within an individual, school, or community does not happen without great people leading the effort.
HealthMPowers recently recognized two such leaders with its second annual Health Champion Award. This award recognizes people who "go the extra mile" in promoting, supporting and enhancing health, nutrition, and physical activity in a local school or community to create a healthier environment for students, staff and families.
The recipients of the 2011 HealthMPowers Health Champion Award include:
- Elisabeth Spaulding, Teacher, Huntley Hills Elementary in Chamblee; and
- Kelly Combs, Strategic Planning Director, BlueCross BlueShield of Georgia.
Elisabeth Spaulding has been a teacher at Huntley Hills Elementary since 1990. She is a catalyst for improving health education and positively impacting health lifestyles at her school and the surrounding community. Elisabeth has not only initiated the typical health fair, but she brought in outside resources, including HealthMPowers, and created her own programs based on school needs. As a recipient of many grants, she offers a variety of programs to enrich the lives of staff, students and their families.
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Elisabeth Spaulding (left) receives her award from HealthMPowers educator Heather (right) at a Huntley Hills Elementary School staff meeting.
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Elisabeth is the type of educator that brings ideas to life. This school year, she was aware of the dilemma the school had trying to house 450+ students before the start of each school day. So, in thinking outside the box, Elisabeth created and proposed the "Tiger Tune-Up", an engaging morning exercise program for the students that mirrors the morning breakfast program. It was a perfect solution to a problem the school constantly battled. Her idea is not only brilliant, but it is easy to implement, cost effective, and most importantly, offers a healthy alternative to sitting quietly and waiting for the school day to begin. Students begin their morning with much needed physical activity, which shows reduced behavior problems and increased focus in the classroom.
"Without a doubt, Elisabeth is a powerfully positive force in our school community", Said Dr. Leissa, Principal at Huntley Hills Elementary School.
Kelly Combs, Strategic Planning Director for BlueCross BlueShield of Georgia donated her time and efforts to improving the lives of others through her active participation and engagement as a member of the HealthMPowers Board of Directors. Kelly used her business planning skills to assist the board and staff in crating a three year results based strategic plan through a carefully crafted one year planning process. The plan, in its first year of implementation, has guided the organization in the development and improvement of resources, programming, and trainings that serve schools and demonstrate results, In addition, Kelly has been instrumental in expanding HealthMPowers programming beyond Georgia and the school it currently serves.
| Kelly Combs (center) receives her award from HealthMPowers Board co-chair Mary Johnson (left) and Executive Director, Christy Kay (right). |
Kelly also chaired a board committee that examined the diversification of funding and a plan for greater sustainability. Through this process HealthMPowers will be able to offer some programming to schools outside of Georgia making a wider impact on child health. "We are proud to recognize and honor Kelly Combs for her unselfish dedication of time, talents and skills to improve the health and well-being of others through her leadership on the HealthMPowers Board of Directors and in the community." said Christi Kay, Executive Dorector of HealthMPowers. Kelly's commitment is not limited to her tremendous business influence at HealthMPowers. She also takes an active role on her daughters' school wellness council at Ashford Park Elementary School in DeKalb County.
The BCBSGa Foundation provided funding for over 80 schools through two grant cycles as well as funding for a life-size Body Walk exhibit that takes students through the human body. This exhibit helps students understand how their organs and bones work together and how they can stay healthy and avoid injury and disease. Grant opportunities like these provide improvements in student health knowledge and behavior, staff wellness, school health programming and health policies. The dedication, support, work and leadership champions, like Kelly, make such successes possible.
For more information about the Health Champion Award go to
www.HealthMPowers.org/Results/Success-Stories-(1)/HealthMPowers-Champion-Award.aspx