[LIBERTY, NY] Sullivan 180's Empowering a Healthier Generation (EHG) team took the national stage at the American School Health Association's (ASHA) 100th Annual Conference, sharing how a rural New York county is transforming school wellness through meaningful partnerships, student leadership, and sustainable systems change.
For the second consecutive year, the national conference ASHA selected EHG to present, recognizing the organization's innovative approach to strengthening school wellness policies, building community partnerships, and creating healthier school environments.
The team's presentation, “From Practice to Policy: How Wellness Initiatives Transform School Culture and Systems,” highlighted Sullivan 180's Empowering a Healthier Generation model and its success in moving school wellness beyond individual initiatives and compliance requirements toward lasting changes in school culture.
The presentation featured real-world examples of how Sullivan County public schools are strengthening nutrition, physical activity, and mental health initiatives while elevating student voices in decision-making. The team emphasized that sustainable change requires more than funding individual projects; it depends on leadership commitment, community collaboration, student participation, and systems that support long-term success.
“The frameworks and best practices for creating healthier schools already exist. The challenge is turning that knowledge into action and making it sustainable,” said Meaghan Mullally-Gorr, Sullivan 180's Director of Health & Wellness. “Our experience in Sullivan County demonstrates what is possible when schools, community partners, and students work together. When young people have a meaningful voice in shaping the policies and practices that affect them, we move beyond individual programs and begin creating lasting change.”
In addition, Mullally-Gorr was invited to serve as a panelist during ASHA's pre-conference discussion focused on systems change in adolescent health. The invitation provided another national platform to share Sullivan 180's experience navigating barriers to school wellness, building stakeholder engagement, and ensuring youth voice remains central to policy development and implementation.
The EHG presentation brought together team members Meaghan Mullally-Gorr, Christy TerBush, Barbara Weinstein, and Stacey Trinidad, highlighting the collaborative work behind the program's countywide impact. Participation in ASHA's centennial conference reflects Sullivan 180's growing role as a model for school wellness and reinforces the potential for locally developed solutions to inform broader state and national efforts.