Sullivan 180’s Empowering a Healthier Generation Announces Winner’s of $75,000 & $50,000 Grant Awards
Empowering a Healthier Generation Celebration and Awards Ceremony
[FERNDALE] – Sullivan 180 hosted the third annual Empowering a Healthier Generation Celebration on Thursday, September 21, 2023 at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. It was an evening celebrating the accomplishments of Sullivan County schools, who are part of Sullivan 180’s Empowering a Healthier Generation (EHG) Program. It was also the culmination of EHG’s first ever Competition Year and Judging Week.
The First Place $75,000 Healthier Generation Competition Award recipient was Sullivan West Elementary School, the Second Place $50,000 Healthier Generation Competition Award recipient was Benjamin Cosor Elementary (Fallsburg School District). Awards were generously provided by the Gerry Foundation.
Turtle Awards in the amount of $500 to acknowledge schools and school leaders for guiding their students, faculty and parents toward healthier lifestyles were also announced during the program, Recipients included: Collaborator Awards to Fallsburg High School and Sullivan West Elementary School; Mental Health Award to Sullivan West Elementary School; Mother Earth Award to Livingston Manor Central School; Nutrition Awards to Fallsburg Central School and Livingston Manor Central School; Physical Activity Awards to Monticello’s George L. Cooke Elementary School and Robert J. Kaiser Middle School. The Grant Project of the Year was awarded to Monticello’s Robert J. Kaiser Middle School led by Scott Cooper. Committee of the Year Award to Livingston Manor Central School led by Calley Erlwein and René Carlson, and two HG Advisor of the Year Awards to both Elisa Mendels from Monticello’s George L. Cooke Elementary School and Calley Erlwein from Livingston Manor High School.
Turtle Awards were sponsored by local businesses and organizations including: Wendy Brown In Loving Memory of John Brown; Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County; Foster Supply Hospitality; Gerry Foundation; Jeff Bank; M&T Bank, NYSEG; Sullivan County Democrat; Thomspon Sanitation; Zufall Family Foundation.
“What has been accomplished in the 2022-2023 school year by our Healthier Generation Advisors at the 5 competition schools is tremendous,” said Meaghan Mullally-Gorr, Director of Health & Wellness, “[The Healthier Generation Advisors] have led their school buildings into a whole new realm of health and wellness that has benefited their entire school community… the work they’ve accomplished is priceless.”
The event kicked off with a networking reception and a premiere of the Empowering a Healthier Generation film. Grant project presentations were made by each school district showcasing the health & wellness work being done in each of their buildings. These projects include implementation of The Walking Classroom, increased physical activity opportunities, access to healthy foods, Social and Emotional Learning initiatives, and staff wellness programs to name a few.
“We’ll only be able to do this together. It’s not one person doing it, one organization doing it. It’s teamwork, and we invite you to join us,” said Sandra Gerry, Founding Chair of Sullivan 180.
Empowering a Healthier Generation is a school-based partnership between Sullivan 180 and Sullivan County schools. The goal is to create a grassroots movement that will change policy and environments; while demonstrating that individuals and families have an important role to play in building a culture of health for themselves and the next generation.