Where spiritual values meet Montessori education to help our children transform humanity.
Contact: Tammie Aaron-Barrada,
Title: Grant Coordinator, Cell Phone: 412-601-1395, E-mail: AaronAssoc@aol.com
Verna Montessori School was awarded a grant through the
Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge
Mt, Pleasant, PA in September, 2011 ~ Verna Montessori School has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5
School Challenge grant of $10,000.00 to implement their “Let’s Get Fit” program that will provide students with
enhanced nutrition education and fitness education. With rates of childhood obesity on the rise, this grant will support Verna Montessori School efforts to help students adopt healthy behaviors that will stay with them for a lifetime. Our Let’s Get Fit program enables the students to have equipment for gym class and for use at recess to enable the
children more exercise time to encourage a healthier lifestyle and to incorporate exercise daily through sports,
games, and exercise equipment incorporating healthy habits to last a lifetime. Kids who are physically fit sleep
better and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges — from running to catch a bus to studying
for a test. The children will enjoy using their new rock climbing wall, wii fit plus systems, soccer, street hockey &
lacross sets, calisthenics spots, obsticle courseand many morefun team and idvividual items. Middle school class
serves fruits and vegetables while the school listens to dietritians and special speakers on nutrition throughout the year.
Since 2007, the Highmark Foundation, through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge, has awarded
more than $8 million to over 945 grants to schools in 49 counties across Pennsylvania for programs that provide
nutrition education, enhance nutrition choices and increase opportunities for physical activity.
"Physical activity and nutrition play a critical role in reducing childhood obesity," said Yvonne Cook, president of the Highmark
Foundation. 'With this grant, Verna Montessori School will have additional resources available to educate students-and
their parents-on simple lifestyle changes that can be made to improve the health and wellbeing of our children."
About Verna Montessori School is a child-centered non-denominational AMI school for children ages 3-14. The
faculty offers the purity of the advanced Montessori philosophy and is strongly committed to share with the children
healthy Christian values. VMS differs in every respect from the usual school. Everything, from the colors of the learning
materials to the tone of the teacher's voice, is definitely planned to stimulate a child to learn. Learning is independent.
Children work in their own way with materials they choose because of their own abilities and interests. At VMS it is our
goal to allow the children literally to learn how to learn. Come visit this rare jewel in your backyard. Open enrollment.
About Highmark Healthy High 5: Focused on children's health promotion, Highmark Healthy High 5 is an initiative of the Highmark Foundation designed to improve the health of children and adolescents, ages 6-18 by providing them with the tools and practices needed to make informed decisions about living healthier lives. Through a $100 million commitment, Highmark Healthy High 5 addresses five critical issues - nutrition, physical activity, grieving, self-esteem, and bullying prevention - by working with educators, parents and nonprofit leaders to reach children and adolescents at school, home and within their communities. More information can be found atwww.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org or by calling 800-789-1726.
