School Health Role Models Honored By HealthMPowers

HealthMPowers recognized three physical education teachers and one community member in Georgia for their commitment to improving the school health environments. Recipients of HealthMPowers’ first Health Champion Award include:

 

·         Armelia Ray Braddy, Teacher, Parkside Elementary in Atlanta;

·         Lisa Brown, Teacher, Union Point Elementary School in Union Point;

·         Julie Chartier, Teacher, Walter F. White Elementary in Atlanta: and

·         Mike Neumeier, Principal, Arketi Group.

 

“Having served Georgia schools for ten years, HealthMPowers wanted to recognize those individuals who empower their schools to make health a priority,” said Christi Kay, executive director of HealthMPowers. “Armelia, Lisa and Julie exemplify the type of role models that students need by demonstrating their personal commitment to health every day.”

 

Braddy, who has nearly 20 years of physical education experience, started at Parkside Elementary School in 2009. Braddy’s energetic commitment to health led to her involvement in numerous activities – including supporting the Once-a-Month Healthy Snack Café; volunteering with the wellness and health committee, Spring Wellness Fair and hospitality committee; providing content for the weekly newsletter; and bringing fitness to the science club, leadership club and Boy Scouts.

 

“Mrs. Braddy is one of our greatest assets in that her diligence, commitment, and compassion for students and her job sets the standard for others to follow,” said Dr. Phillip Luck, principal at Parkside Elementary School. Braddy’s diligence to health promotion has proven results – improved school attendance, increased participation in physical education classes and daily participation from students in the morning Jump-Rope-Roundup.

 

Brown has been with Union Point Elementary School for 15 years. She is a consistent advocate for health – hosting an annual Movin’ and Groovin’ night, where students can educate their parents about the health exercises and nutrition information they’ve learned; developing the health promotion program, Catch a Teacher Being Healthy, which is now available for all the schools that HealthMPowers serves; creating the student health council, Power Up Kids; and facilitating an annual pedometer contest.

 

“From my frame of reference, having been an administrator for 15 years and a principal for five years, Lisa epitomizes the kind of commitment all educators should exhibit,” said Union Point Elementary’s Principal Lex Brown. Beyond advocating health, Brown maintains a close rapport with students, parents and teachers – personally inviting parents to health screenings and helping Union Point Elementary School be recognized for the highest teacher participation in a HealthMPowers’ health risk appraisals and fitness testing.

 

Chartier shares her passion for health by motivating students and teachers to exercise and eat healthy. Her commitment to sharing health knowledge led her to create a Hip Hop Abs class for the school staff to be involved in after school hours, to lead a Brain Gyms Workshop to help focus students during statewide standardized testing, and to use homework assignments to promote healthy eating in the home environment.

 

“Students need to see people in their lives taking responsibility for their health and sharing this knowledge with others,” said Chartier, who holds a firm belief that her actions impact her students’ decisions.

 

The HealthMPowers Champion Award was established in honor of HealthMPowers’ founders, E. Andrew Isakson and Mary Johnson, to recognize individuals in schools who go above and beyond in implementing creative ideas to promote, support and enhance health, nutrition and physical activity in their school.

 

HealthMPowers also recognized Mike Neumeier, principal of high-tech business-to-business public relations and digital firm Arketi Group, for his outstanding service to the organization. Recipient of the annual Community Health Champion Award, Neumeier has served on the HealthMPowers board for three years, most recently as the fund development chair.

 

He and Arketi are strong supporters of HealthMPowers and have serviced the organization on a pro-bono basis for more than four years. Arketi has provided services such as strategic counsel for naming, messaging and branding; creative design for truck wraps, school materials and business materials; and content development for annual reports, bylines and press releases.