Midway Hills Primary has been awarded a $5,000 grant through the Georgia SHAPE grant, which is administered by the Department of Public Health as an effort to help school districts to increase or enhance the physical activity and nutrition in their school systems. This is the third SHAPE grant won by a BCSD school in only the second year that the grant has been offered. "These grants are really competitive," said District Wellness Coordinator Aketi Mayweather, who co-wrote the grant application with Midway Hills Primary Principal Tara Burney. "You have to make sure you are looking at what the funder wants."
With the grant, Burney plans on increasing the level of physical activity not only for the students but for the teachers as well. "One thing we plan to do with our teachers is to purchase Fitbits," Burney said, "and we're going to engage in activities at least twice a week doing anything from line dancing to walking together, or just talking about our social-emotional well-being."
Last year, Midway Hills Academy received the Georgia Shape grant and was able to provide Zumba classes for the teachers as well as bring in a nutritionist and dietitian for consultation. "We had a Zen day that the teachers really enjoyed," said Mayweather, "also, Lakeview Academy received a worksite wellness grant through Georgia SHAPE as well and we were able to provide some treadmills so that their teachers could work out."
Midway Hill Primary expects to see the funding for the wellness equipment in October but has already begun rolling out the wellness initiatives for both its students and teachers. "I always tell people that it's easier to get a grant when you're already doing the work," said Mayweather, "because you're showing the funders that we can do this work, but just imagine the wonderful things that we can do if you provided a little bit of funding. I think that's why we've been so successful with the Georgia SHAPE grant."
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