The American Heart Association has honored nine students, schools and educators from across the country during a virtual awards ceremony on Nov. 20, recognizing their contributions to advancing the Association's lifesaving work in combating childhood obesity and promoting heart and brain health. The ceremony, held annually, celebrated top participants in the Association's nationwide in-school programs, Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge.
One in every five American children and teens is obese, a rate that has increased 35% since 2000, with severe childhood obesity nearly doubling in that time, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:936). "Alarming health trends like rising childhood obesity are challenges we can work to overcome together, and we are proud to honor those who are doing just that," said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women's health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health of Northwell Health in New York City. "These students, educators and schools aren't just raising critical funds; they're inspiring healthier habits and creating lasting change in their communities."
Award recipients participated in either Kids Heart Challenge or American Heart Challenge during the 2024-25 school year and were nominated by Association staff. The 2025 honorees include: Superintendent of the Year: Dr. Nicole Wesley - Redondo Beach Unified School District (Redondo Beach, California); Outstanding American Heart Challenge Volunteer of the Year: Rob Dorsett - Perryville High School (Perryville, Maryland); Heart-Healthy School Award: Zachary Barrows - Summerlake Elementary (Winter Garden, Florida); Outstanding Kids Heart Challenge Volunteer of the Year: Marline Price - Parkview Baptist (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Open-Door Award: Natalie Wheeler - Community School District 22-New York City (New York City); Outstanding Team of the Year: Jon Curtis and Amy Wolske - Greenfield Elementary (Baldwin, Wisconsin); Principal of the Year: Kacey Chong - Southern Highlands Preparatory School (Las Vegas, Nevada); Specialist/Nurse of the Year: Melissa Smith - Texas Region 16 (Amarillo, Texas); and Young Heart Leadership Award: Riley Jimenez - Tuloso Midway Intermediate School (Corpus Christi, Texas).
The Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge are grounded in science and designed to improve physical and emotional well-being, support academic success and help students feel confident in their ability to make a difference. Reaching more than 10 million students in approximately 20,000 U.S. schools each year, participants and their families learn how to eat smart, manage stress, avoid tobacco and vaping, recognize warning signs of a heart attack and stroke and more. Students are also introduced to Hands-Only CPR, a lifesaving skill that school-aged children can learn and, by age 12, effectively use if they witness a sudden cardiac arrest. More information about the programs can be found at heart.org/jointhechallenge.
The American Heart Association, supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, funds groundbreaking research, advocates for public health, and provides critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke.
