McKenzie School has recently received national honors for its outstanding efforts in creating an active and healthy school environment.

Let’s Move! Active Schools, a sub-initiative of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, recently honored McKenzie School with the 2014 Active Schools national recognition award for its commitment to helping students learn, focus and grow through the integration of physical activity before, during and after the school day.

The honor marks the first time McKenzie has received the award.

Butler County is involved in the Alliance for a Healthier Generation Healthy Schools Program, which included McKenzie in the Let’s Move! Program and website.

McKenzie School’s Laura Shell said that the school was selected from a wide variety of criteria, including information concerning the physical education curriculum, how physical activities and healthy snacks are implemented into the program and employee wellness and community involvement with children’s physical activities.

“We included the one-mile fun run and the 5K color run as part of our employee wellness and community outreach,” Shell said.

“We also work with our little league program within the community to encourage physical activities.”

McKenzie School was provided with an Active Schools banner and certificate to commemorate its success and display its commitment to improving student physical and cognitive health through physical activity.

Studies show a correlation between active kids and success in the classroom.

In addition to helping kids stay healthy, physical activity has been linked to higher test scores, improved attendance, better behavior in class and lower rates of childhood obesity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that school-aged youth participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.