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Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Alabama has chosen Highland Home school to receive the Be Healthy school grant during the 2020-2021 school year.

“We want to develop the whole child, whether that is physically fit, academically, socially, emotionally… This grant has afforded us the opportunity,” said Highland Home Principal Gary Coleman when speaking to BCBS.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is committing $266,500 in grants to 27 schools throughout the state. The grant money will impact 11 thousand Alabama students in grades K-six. Each school selected will be awarded up to $10,000 in grant money, limited to one per selected school.

The grant money is used to fight obesity through implementing health and wellness programs within the schools. The wellness programs will focus on increasing exercise, nutritional education, and getting parents involved to ensure student success.

“There are so many kids here at school that just don’t have healthy eating habits,” Marty Balkom, teacher at Highland Home school, told BCBS. “We try to teach them nutrition. We want them to be well rounded. We want them to break the cycle of obesity.”

For more information on the grant, please visit https://www.bcbsal.org/web/be-healthy-school-grants.html