The Board of Education recognizes the 2021-22 Chula Vista Elementary School District Wellness Champion Award recipients. The award recognizes those in the District who have worked diligently and continuously to go above and beyond to improve health and wellness at a school site or throughout the community. Parents, students, staff, and community members were all eligible to receive and nominate candidates for the awards.
A Wellness Champion subcommittee reviewed over 75
nominations to select the award winners. The subcommittee comprised one District teacher, one Charter teacher, one City of Chula Vista representative, one Dairy Council of California representative, the District Multi-Tiered System of Supports Coordinator, District Parent Engagement Liaison, and the District Physical Education, Health, and Wellness Coordinator.
The Wellness Champion subcommittee chose two individuals and a school site to receive the 2021-22 Wellness Champion Award. The award recipients are:
- Melissa Farlow, a third-grade teacher at Ella B. Allen Elementary, is recognized for the various opportunities she provides for students to get involved in physical activity before, during, and after school, through coaching multiple intramural sports, leading a running club, and organizing the school’s Kids Heart Challenge event.
- Lourdes Trejo, a parent at Karl H. Kellogg Elementary School, is recognized for volunteering to help lead the school’s Kids Heart Challenge event, volunteering in the classroom, and motivating students to do their best while educating them on the importance of heart health.
- Lilian J. Rice Elementary School is recognized for the school’s vast health and wellness efforts, including a revitalized teaching garden that is a certified monarch butterfly site, focusing on non-food incentives to make the healthy choice the easy choice, a plethora of physical activity opportunities during and after school, integrating health and physical education into the culture of the school, and a focus on keeping the minds and bodies of employees healthy.
Congratulations to all! The grand prize individual employee award recipient received a Peloton bike donated by United Health Care. The grand prize individual student/parent/community member award recipient received a mountain bike donated by Kaiser Permanente and a Fitbit donated by United Health Care. The grand prize school award recipient received $300 of Physical Education equipment and an open physical education professional development session donated by the District’s Physical Education, Health, and Wellness Coordinator. All finalists received a Fitbit donated by United Health Care and a certificate for a fruit and veggie box donated by Kaiser Permanente.