American Heart Association Honors Students and Educators for Championing Health Initiatives Amid Rising Childhood Obesity

The American Heart Association honored nine students, schools, and educators from across the United States during a virtual awards ceremony on November 20, recognizing their outstanding efforts in combating childhood obesity and promoting heart and brain health through the organization's nationwide school programs. The ceremony celebrated top participants in the Association's Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge programs, which reach more than 10 million students in approximately 20,000 U.S. schools annually.

The recognition comes at a critical time, as one in every five American children and teens is obese, representing a 35% increase since 2000, while severe childhood obesity rates have nearly doubled during that same period. These alarming health trends underscore the importance of the initiatives being recognized and the broader impact they could have on public health outcomes nationwide.

Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women's health at Northwell Health, emphasized that these honorees are not only raising critical funds but inspiring healthier habits and creating lasting change in their communities. The award recipients participated in either Kids Heart Challenge or American Heart Challenge during the 2024-25 school year and were nominated by Association staff based on their exceptional contributions.

The 2025 honorees include Dr. Nicole Wesley from Redondo Beach Unified School District in California, recognized as Superintendent of the Year, and Rob Dorsett from Perryville High School in Maryland, who received the Outstanding American Heart Challenge Volunteer of the Year award. Other recipients included Zachary Barrows from Summerlake Elementary in Florida for the Heart-Healthy School Award, Marline Price from Parkview Baptist in Louisiana as Outstanding Kids Heart Challenge Volunteer of the Year, and Natalie Wheeler from Community School District 22-New York City for the Open-Door Award.

Additional honorees included Jon Curtis and Amy Wolske from Greenfield Elementary in Wisconsin as Outstanding Team of the Year, Kacey Chong from Southern Highlands Preparatory School in Nevada as Principal of the Year, Melissa Smith from Texas Region 16 as Specialist/Nurse of the Year, and Riley Jimenez from Tuloso Midway Intermediate School in Texas for the Young Heart Leadership Award.

The Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge programs are grounded in scientific principles and designed to improve physical and emotional well-being while supporting academic success. Participants and their families learn crucial health skills including proper nutrition, stress management, tobacco and vaping avoidance, and recognizing warning signs of heart attacks and strokes. A particularly impactful component involves teaching Hands-Only CPR, a lifesaving skill that school-aged children can learn and effectively use by age 12 if they witness a sudden cardiac arrest.

These programs represent a comprehensive approach to addressing childhood health challenges that extend beyond immediate physical benefits. By empowering students with health knowledge and practical skills, the initiatives create ripple effects that can influence family behaviors and community health standards. The recognition of these outstanding participants highlights the potential for localized efforts to contribute meaningfully to addressing national health concerns, particularly as childhood obesity continues to pose significant long-term health risks for millions of American youth.

More information about the Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge programs is available at https://heart.org/jointhechallenge.