$20K grants inspire AL students to explore new ways to learn—see what they’re up to + how to apply

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Have you ever wondered what $20,000 could do for a school’s health and wellness efforts? For Alabama schools that receive Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s Be Healthy School Grants, it can mean anything from a garden, greenhouse and orchard to interactive exercise equipment designed to get students (and teachers) moving.

Here’s a look at how these grants are helping students across the state build healthy habits, plus some of the creative ways schools are putting the funding to work.

What is the Be Healthy School Grant Program?

Healthy habits don’t look the same at every school. While one might need a new walking track, another could benefit from a school garden or updated playground equipment.

That’s where the Be Healthy School Grant Program comes in. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama provides funding of up to $20,000 per school to K–12 schools and school boards for projects that encourage exercise, nutrition education and community involvement.

Statewide impact: Since 2012, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has awarded more than $3.5 million through 378 Be Healthy School Grants, reaching more than 187,000 students across Alabama.

Why school health and wellness programs matter for Alabama students

If your kiddo came home from school talking about a new piece of PE equipment or proudly showing off a vegetable they helped plant and grow, you’d know that lesson made an impression. Everyday experiences like these aren’t just a way for students to have fun—they’re a way to learn healthy habits that can stick.

For Alabama families, having opportunities like these at school can be a big deal. Not every school across Alabama has the same resources, whether it’s in a rural town, the suburbs, or a big city.

That’s where Be Healthy School Grants can help. The funding gives Alabama schools more opportunities for:

• Movement + exercise throughout the school day
• Nutrition education that brings healthy choices to life
• Hands-on learning through projects like school gardens
• Adaptive equipment that makes physical activity more accessible
• Interactive exercise equipment that gets students moving while they learn
• Community-focused projects that can benefit students, families + neighbors

Worth noting: These grants reach statewide! Since the program began in 2012, at least one school in each of 67 Alabama counties has received a Be Healthy School Grant.

How Be Healthy School Grants make an impact in Alabama

Students at Peach City Academy learned about horticulture through their Be Healthy School Grant. (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama)

Peach City Academy in Clanton has seen the impact of the grant firsthand. Grant funding helped make an entire growing project possible. The school’s garden includes vegetable production, a nursery and greenhouse, plus fruit production and an orchard.

The project gives students hands-on lessons in growing and caring for plants while also teaching them about teamwork and agriculture.

“There’s no way we could have done this project without the generosity of the Be Healthy School Grant. Partnering with local people gets you so far, but we really needed that seed money that helped us actually plant and grow and get to where we are right now.”

Charlotte Johnson, Director, Peach City Academy

Check out the school’s story + see how the Be Healthy School Grant is making a difference.

How Alabama schools can apply for Be Healthy School Grants

Love learning how schools across the state are using Be Healthy School Grants to give students more opportunities to build healthy habits? Your school could be next!

Click here to learn more about the Be Healthy School Grant program, including eligibility requirements + upcoming application opportunities, and see how to apply for an upcoming grant cycle.

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