We want to send a big thank you to everyone who told us their story through our I Am Here photo contest and helped make it a success!
The grade level winning classrooms will receive $1000 awards for health and wellness projects at their schools. At the 2018 Champions for Health Youth Summit and I Am Here Awards on March 6, the students will give “Shark Tank” style presentations in hopes of winning an additional $1500 grand prize.
2017-2018 Photo Contest Grade Level Winners
3rd Grade
Red Bridge Elementary, Center School District
Teachers: Cayetana Maristela and Devon Strahm
See Their Photos
4th Grade
Westview Elementary, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District
Teacher: Corinne Drummond
See Their Photos
5th Grade
M.E. Pearson Elementary, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
Teacher: Jolynna Addink
See Their Photos
6th Grade
Academy for Integrated Arts, Kansas City Missouri Charter
Teacher: Asha Moore
See Their Photos
7th Grade
Northeast Middle School, Kansas City Public Schools
Teacher: Christina Dismang
See Their Photos
8th Grade
Wheatridge Middle School, Gardner Edgerton School District
Teacher: Maryann Hebda
See Their Photos
Through the contest, teachers helped students think critically about how their surroundings – walking trails or broken sidewalks, safe playgrounds or blighted lots, schoolyard gardens or fast food restaurants – impact their health. Hundreds of students were involved in the contest and submitted captioned photos illustrating how their communities help and hinder healthy habits.
The pitch contest and awards ceremony will take place during KC Healthy Kids’ Champions for Health youth summit. At this all-day conference, 200 students who participated in the contest will learn to speak out for healthier food in schools, walkable communities, urban farms and gardens and more.
Honorable Mentions
These classrooms received $100 awards for health and wellness projects at their schools and they are invited to attend the youth summit.
Bonner Springs/Edwardsville Unified School District
- Bonner Springs Elementary, 5th Grade, Tammy Dooley and Beau Bragg
- Y Club at Bonner Springs Elementary, 3rd-5th Grade, Taylor Neff
Center School District
- Indian Creek Elementary, 4th Grade, Cayetana Maristela
Gardner Edgerton School District
- Edgerton Elementary, 4th Grade, Crysta Baier
Hickman Mills C-1 School District
- Dobbs Elementary School, 6th Grade, Sharon Ford-Parker
Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
- Noble Prentis Elementary, 3rd Grade, Crystal Mason
- Noble Prentis Elementary, 3rd Grade, Crystal Mason
- Noble Prentis Elementary, 4th Grade, Crystal Mason
- Noble Prentis Elementary, 5th Grade, Crystal Mason
- Noble Prentis Elementary, 5th Grade, Crystal Mason
Kansas City Public Schools
- Longfellow Elementary, 5th Grade, Imani Malaika Mehta
- Banneker Elementary, 6th Grade, Carri King
- Faxon Elementary, 6th Grade, Teri Campos
Liberty Public Schools
- EPiC Elementary, 3rd Grade, Claudia Howerton and Megan Thompson
Private Schools
- Summit Christian Academy, 5th Grade, Ashlee Smith
- Summit Christian Academy, 5th Grade, Ashley Kates
- Summit Christian Academy, 5th Grade, Michelle Bacon
- Hope Lutheran School, 8th Grade, Cynthia Bird
