The gauntlet is thrown and area students are invited to take up the challenge and develop creative ways to improve well-being on their school’s campus. The second annual Blue Zones Project Wellness Innovation Grant competition is accepting applications to fund student-led campus health and well-being initiatives inspired by Blue Zones Project principles. Tarrant County schools with the most creative and potentially successful ideas are eligible for up to $5,000 in funding to launch their projects.
The Wellness Innovation Grant challenge is designed to inspire and empower students to lead the charge to make healthy choices easier on campus. Previous winners have proposed roving food carts to teach students how to prepare healthy meals for themselves and wellness areas where students could retreat to learn techniques on controlling their emotions. Due to the need for social distancing, this year’s competition will include virtual presentations by student ambassadors.
Wellness Innovation Grant applications are due Dec. 14, 2020, and must be completed by a school representative, but written in the voice of and with input from students. Finalists will be announced on Jan. 8, 2021. Schools chosen in the first round must submit a presentation by Feb. 5. Four grant recipients will be announced Feb. 12, each receiving $5,000. Additional smaller grants for creativity and innovation may be awarded at the judges’ discretion. All projects must begin implementation by June 1.
Winning schools will be chosen by a panel of local educators, wellness advocates, entrepreneurs and community leaders. Schools that received a 2019-2020 grant are not eligible to apply, and all participating schools must be Blue Zones Project Approved or working toward certification.
The grants are provided by R4 Foundation, which funds local programs supporting education, community, wellness and the arts, in partnership with North Texas Healthy Communities, the community outreach arm of Texas Health Resources that implements Blue Zones Project.
Last year, students from 17 area schools submitted applications for Wellness Innovation Grant awards, with eight chosen to make a pitch before a Students showcased their leadership skills, including communication, public speaking, and creativity, and every presenting school took home funding to support its well-being plan. A total of $28,000 helped support efforts at Leadership Academy at Como, Christene C. Moss Elementary, Westcliff Elementary, Western Hills Elementary, Oakhurst Elementary, Daggett Montessori, Applied Learning Academy, and Keller-Harvel Elementary.
To learn more and to request an application, contact BlueZonesProject@TexasHealth.org.