Tennessee

In Tennessee, you can take in the breath-taking scenery from the Great Smoky Mountains, listen to melodies from the home of country music and the blues, and savor plenty of Southern culinary favorites. But aside from its many ways to unwind, the state also faces a distressing problem: Tennessee is the eleventh most obese state in the nation for children.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, thanks to support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Assisi Foundation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is working with communities throughout the state to make it easier for kids to lead healthier lives.

Our Work in Tennessee

In Tennessee, we’re making it easier for kids to develop healthy habits.

Nearly 900 schools serving over 508,000 students across the state have joined Healthier Generation's Healthy Schools Program, creating healthier school environments for children to thrive. Since 2007, 44 Tennessee schools have been recognized with National Healthy Schools Awards for their outstanding efforts.

We’ve also made it easier for more than 12,700 youth in 110 out-of-school time programs to eat right and move more through our Healthy Out-of-School Time Initiative.

Success Stories

Hear from champions from just two of the many schools and districts we work with in Tennessee: Jackson-Madison County School System, which has enrolled all of its 27 schools in the Healthy Schools Program; and Beech Bluff Elementary School, which has been enrolled in the Healthy Schools Program since 2009.

Healthier Generation’s Product Calculator for Smart Snacks was a wonderful tool that helped us implement the new USDA competitive foods standards.

Susan Johnson

School Nutrition Director, Jackson-Madison County School System, TN

Every time I had a question or needed an idea, Program Manager Donna Crawford was there to point me in the right direction.

Daphne Johnson

Physical Education Teacher, Beech Bluff Elementary School, TN

From Our Program Manager

Our Program Manager lives and works in Tennessee, supporting our work in schools in building healthier learning environments. Hear from her about the impact we’re making in Tennessee.

We have seen tremendous positive change within our schools this year. We believe that what we’re doing to promote health in schools will spread into the community.

Donna Crawford

Healthy Schools Program Manager, TN

See how Southern states, including Tennessee, are helping students to develop healthier habits at school