PTA’s national office today announced it will award $500 to 39 PTA schools, and a grand award of $1,000 to one PTA school, to help thousands of students and families celebrate PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month, November.

These PTAs are receiving cash awards to recognize PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month activities they have planned to promote health and wellness and parent involvement in their schools; emphasize the link between involvement and student achievement; and further PTA’s mission.

Hundreds of PTAs submitted proposals describing different family activities they have planned, such as walkathons, and health fairs, as well as yoga and cooking classes.

"For decades PTA members have worked to improve child health and wellness by supporting child nutrition legislation, providing resources to parents on how to create healthy lifestyles at home and school, and by calling attention to child health through special campaigns like these," said Jan Harp Domene, PTA national president.

Research has shown that a healthy child is more likely to achieve in school, and PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month gives schools and parents a way to strengthen their health and wellness activities.

After much deliberation and evaluation, PTA national officials chose schools from 21 different U.S. states and one from a U.S. Department of Defense school in the Netherlands!

The award-winning PTAs represent the following schools:

• Mount Vernon Elementary School; Yorktown, Virginia (Grand Prize $1,000 Winner)
• AF North Elementary School; Brunssum, Netherlands
• Huffman High School; Birmingham, Alabama
• Washington Elementary School; Norco, California
• Escondido Elementary School; Palo Alto, California
• Washington Elementary School; Richmond, California
• George Marston Middle School; San Diego, California
• Pine View Elementary School; Land O Lakes, Florida
• Carver School of Health Sciences & Research; Atlanta, Georgia
• Blythe Park Elementary School; Riverside, Illinois
• Harmony Middle School; Overland Park, Kansas
• Pine View Middle School; Covington, Louisiana
• William Tyler Page Elementary School; Silver Spring, Maryland
• Chapel Lakes Elementary School; Lee’s Summit, Missouri
• Marion Earl Elementary School; Las Vegas, Nevada
• James H. Johnson Elementary School; Cherry Hill, New Jersey
• Delaware Township School; Sergeantsville, New Jersey
• Ken-Ton Elementary School; Buffalo, New York
• Morristown Elementary School; Morristown, New York
• Cooleemee Elementary School; Cooleemee, North Carolina
• Bluford Elementary School; Greensboro, North Carolina
• Rankin Elementary School; Greensboro, North Carolina
• Iron Station Elementary School, Iron Station, North Carolina
• Bertie Middle School; Windsor, North Carolina
• Revere Middle School, Bath, Ohio
• Riveredge Elementary School; Berea, Ohio
• Hanby Arts Magnet School; Westerville, Ohio
• Saxton Liberty Elementary School; Saxton, Pennsylvania
• Sara Collins Elementary School; Greenville, South Carolina
• Ellen Woodside Elementary School; Pelzer, South Carolina
• Dogwood Elementary School; Germantown, Tennessee
• Casis Elementary School; Austin, Texas
• Goforth Elementary School; League City, Texas
• Oyster Creek Elementary School; Sugar Land, Taxes
• Vikings Hills Elementary School; Waco, Texas
• Barcroft Elementary School; Arlington, Virginia
• Smart’s Mill Middle School; Leesburg, Virginia
• Morton High School; Hammond, Indiana
• Mount Vernon Elementary School; Yorktown, Virginia
• Beech Tree Elementary School; Falls Church, Virginia
• Wildwood Park Elementary School; Puyallup, Washington

PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month is supported by education and community leaders, including Action for Healthy Kids; National School Boards Association; National Association of School Nurses; National Association of Health Education Centers; and Family Voices.

For more information on PTA visit www.pta.org or click here to view PTA Healthy Lifestyles: A Parent’s Guide.