Midstate schools, districts honored for health initiatives

Several midstate schools and districts have been praised for their healthy eating and living initiatives.

The 2017 America's Healthiest Schools list from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation included 323 schools, including five in Bibb County. Heritage Elementary, L.H. Williams Elementary, Hartley Elementary, Veterans Elementary and Vineville Academy all received bronze awards. Schools were evaluated based on criteria like healthy meals and snacks, physical and health education, and initiatives to get students moving.

In a separate contest in Georgia, a few Middle Georgia school districts were honored for their farm-to-table initiatives. Forty percent of districts in the state have incorporated hands-on programs that focus on locally grown food and healthy eating, according to a news release from Georgia Organics.

Seventy-five school systems received 2017 Golden Radish Awards from the Georgia Departments of Agriculture, Public Health and Education, UGA Extension and Georgia Organics. Among the winners were Laurens County, which receive the platinum-level award; Baldwin and Bleckley counties, gold; Crawford County, silver; and Wilkinson County, honorary.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 1:59 PM with the headline "Midstate schools, districts honored for health initiatives."