Part of living a happy life is also living a healthy one.
For the last 11 years, schools within Berkeley County School District have worked with the MUSC Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness to help students and staff live in a more holistically healthy way by implementing wellness initiatives at their schools, which fosters a better learning environment.
Last Thursday, BCSD hosted the BCSD Wellness Teams Awards Ceremony for its 40 participating schools. Schools were scored on their implementation of wellness strategies throughout the 2022-2023 school year and awarded funds by the MUSC Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness to go toward universal wellness initiatives based off how well they scored.
This year, MUSC Boeing Center for Children’s Wellness awarded $21,650 to BCSD schools. Most schools were awarded $500 for their health and wellness efforts, but MUSC gave additional funds to those who received wellness awards.
The Rookie of the Year Award winner won an additional $1,000. The Grand Prize winner won an additional $1,000 and the two runner-up schools each received $500 prizes.
For the first time ever, College Park Elementary was crowned the Grand Prize winner. Melissa Wisner, the school nurse, and Robbi Tidwell, the P.E. teacher, were there to receive the award on behalf of CPE.
Tidwell credited the school for really coming together to help win the award this year. Both students and staff worked on wellness committees to achieve the school’s wellness goals. For example, students put up “How To” posters around CPE to address wellness concerns and staff created a fitness club to work out two or three times a week.
“I felt we needed to do something positive for the students and show them that there are other things out there and what they can do to try and make things better for themselves….part of that is health and wellness and education,” said Wisner.
Wisner and Tidwell are already hard at work planning initiatives for next year. On the list, Wisner wants to revamp CPE’s Bark Park garden to introduce kids to healthy food options and Tidwell wants to start a running club.
Congratulations, CPE!
First Runner Up: Sangaree Middle
Second Runner Up: J.K Gourdin Elementary
Rookie of the Year: Cane Bay High
