SPIRIT OF HEALTHY KIDS SCHOOL PROGRAM
The Spirit of Healthy Kids program and the Prince George Cougars are proud to announce this year’s grand prize winner.
Grand Prize Winner of $5,000 :
École La Grande-Ourse – Smithers
This small but mighty school of 23 students achieved 100% participation with their “Eat the Rainbow” challenge. Their campaign was absolutely fantastic, and they kept us engaged throughout by sending photos, updates, and emails along the way. The school has also committed to continuing the challenge next year, which made this an easy choice for our grand prize winner.
$1,000 winning School:
Learning and Living School – Daajing Giids
A smaller school with an impressive 90% participation rate. We loved seeing the enthusiasm and creativity behind their campaign.
Westwood Elementary – Prince George
195 out of 214 students participated this year, which they shared was nearly double their participation from last year. Their campaign focused on physical activity, mental wellness, and healthy lifestyles both within the school and out into the community.
Pineview Elementary – Prince George
Despite being a rural school with many students balancing extracurricular and rural commitments, they had 121 out of 142 students participate. Their campaign incorporated physical activity, reading challenges, and healthy lifestyle choices.
Suwilaawks Community School – Terrace
Out of 335 students, 240 participated in their creative “Healthy Alphabet Challenge.” Every letter represented a healthy activity or healthy living concept, such as ab workouts, agility ladders, and arm circles for “A.” They also themed each weekday with activities like “Mindful Mondays,” “Thoughtful Thursdays,” and more. Their creativity truly stood out.
Morphee Elementary – Mackenzie
An incredible 100% participation rate with all 259 students involved. While they had fewer tracking sheets submitted than anticipated, discussions with the organizers and teachers confirmed the entire school participated together through their health curriculum, which was absolutely phenomenal.
Thank you to all the teachers, principals, and families for your enthusiastic participation in the Spirit of Healthy Kids 2025. Your dedication and hard work have been instrumental in fostering a culture of health and well-being among your students. While winning is an exciting goal, the true victory lies in the positive impact you’ve made on the lives of our youth. By promoting healthy habits and encouraging active lifestyles, you are helping to shape a healthier, happier future for our children. Whether you win or lose, your efforts have already made a significant difference, and for that, we are deeply grateful.
This program benefits kids in so many ways and we are proud to partner with the Prince George Cougars and Northern Health to promote healthy lifestyles in our schools.
Thank you to everyone who participated and we are looking forward to Spirit of Healthy Kids 2025!
Congratulations to everyone!
THE POWER OF POSITIVE ROLE MODELLING AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION COMES ALIVE IN THE PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS SPIRIT OF HEALTHY KIDS PROGRAM
This innovative initiative serves as a shining example of how partnerships can change the health trajectory of our youngest community members.
A unique collaboration between the Prince George Cougars junior ice hockey team, Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, and Northern Health, this program leverages the popularity and influence of hockey players. These athletes directly engage with elementary students, sharing inspiring messages about healthy habits, kindness, and community involvement.
Initially introduced by the Cougars in 2015 as the “Read to Succeed Program,” it underwent a transformation in 2016 with a broader vision. By 2019, the Spirit Of Healthy Kids program expanded across the vast Northern Health region. Today, this program resonates with over 33,000 students across 220 elementary schools. The vast expanse of our region, primarily composed of rural and remote communities, poses its own unique challenges. Many children in Northern BC face greater health disparities compared to their peers in other parts of the province, making initiatives like this even more critical.
As the Spirit Of Healthy Kids Program gears up annually, we encourage schools, students, and the wider community to engage, adopt, and propagate its teachings. Together, we can foster a brighter, healthier future for our children, making northern BC a beacon of wellness and community spirit.
To sign up for the Spirit of Healthy Kids Program, click HERE
For more information on the SOHK School Program, email [email protected]