Activated School Challenge 2025-2026

Activated School Challenge 2025-2026

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year Activated School Challenge brought to you by Activate Allen County with partners Mercy Health, the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Allen, Auglaize and Hardin Counties, and the Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Board of Putnam County. We are excited to work with our area schools again this year for up to $2,500 in funds to support healthy behaviors. This challenge is open to all schools in Allen, Auglaize, Hardin and Putnam Counties. The first step is to complete the below application. Once your application is completed, Activate staff will send your designated contact a blank action plan and budget template that will need to be completed and submitted back to Kayla Monfort (kmonfort@activateallencounty.com) prior to the deadline.

The Activated School Challenge is an opportunity for area schools to fill gaps and promote health behaviors within their schools. These funds are for sustainable changes around physical, nutritional, mental health or behavioral supports.

This year's application deadline is December 12, 2025.

Name of school/school district*

Date*

Date

Address*

Designated Contact*

Phone Number*

Email Address*

example@example.com

Has your school ever participated in QPR Training and/or Mental Health First Aid?*

YesNoPlanned for this year

1. Total number of students enrolled*

Total number of staff employed*

2. Grade level(s) (check all that apply)*

Primary/ElemantaryMiddle schoolHigh school

3. Type of School:*

4. What is the household income level of the majority of students in the school (check the best description)?*

Low Income: $0 - $25,000Lower-middle Income: $25,000 - $50,000Middle Income: $50,000 - $75,000Upper-middle: Income: $75,000 - $100,000Upper Income: $100,000 or more

Wellness

5. Does your school/school district have a written or formal policy regarding student wellness and nutrition?*

YesNoIn Development

6. Does your school/school district have a representative wellness committee that meets regularly to oversee student health and wellness?*

YesNoIn development

7. Does your school collect students' height, weight, and/or BMI?*

YesNoIn development

Nutrition

8. Does your school have a written or formal policy regarding vending and concession nutrition standards?*

YesNoIn development

9. What is the percentage of students eligible for a free and/or reduced-price meal program?- includes lunch, breakfast and summer feeding programs*

10. Does your school/school district’s food service manager have a nutrition-related baccalaureate or graduate degree and certification/credentialing in food service from either the state or the American School Food Service Association?*

YesNoIn development

12. Does your school/school district assess the extent to which students have access to nutritious foods at school and the extent to which nutritious food choices are appealing to students, to promote healthy eating?*

NoYesIn development

13. Does your school/school district have educational gardens where vegetables and fruits are planted, cultivated, and enjoyed by students and faculty with the help of instructors, farmers, gardeners, or nutritionist which are open to students and staff?*

YesNoIn development

14. Does your school have a written or formal policy prohibiting the use of food as a reward or punishment?*

YesNoIn development

15. Does your school's physical environment support healthy eating habits by making healthy food and beverage options available and where staff encourages all students to choose fruits and veggies as part of their school lunch?*

YesNoIn development

16. Does your school's physical environment support healthy eating habits by limiting unhealthy options, such as foods of minimal or low nutritional value and sweetened drinks?*

YesNoIn development

Physical Activity

17. Does your school district have a written or formal policy regarding physical activity?*

YesNoIn development

18. Are your school's faculty/staff prohibited from using removal of physical activity options as form of punishment?*

YesNoIn development

19. Does your school/district offer bike to school days or promote safe routes to school for students who are able to walk or bike to school?*

YesNoIn development

20. Does your school/district offer intermural sports opportunities for their students?*

YesNoIn development

21. Does your school/district have a written formal policy regarding recess requirements?*

YesNoIn development

Physical Education

22. Does your schhol/district have a written or formal Physical Education curriculum?*

YesNoIn Development

23. Does your school/district's teachers use a sequential physical education curriculum that builds on concepts taught in preceding years and that meets state standards?*

YesNoIn Development

24. Are all physical education classes taught by a credentialed physical education teacher?*

YesNo

25. Are teachers in your district asked not to/prohibited from withholding recess or PE time as a form of punishment?*

YesNo

School Connectedness

26. Does your school operate an 100% smoke/tobacco free campus, including vaping?*

27. Does your school/school district staff regularly inform students and their families about community-based health and safety programs related to physical activity/recreation (e.g.youth sports and recreation programs sponsored by organization such as the YMCA, American Cancer Society, and American Heart Association) and healthy eating/nutrition(e.g., WIC; Food Stamp Program?*

YesNo

28. Does your school/school district (e.g., school nurse; school’s counseling, social services provider, or other staff) that regularly educates students and their families about health and safety topics (e.g., physically active recreation options, tips for packing healthy lunches, use of bike helmets, safe food handling, etc.) through educational materials sent home and involvement in school-sponsored activities (e.g., parent-teacher meetings, parent seminars, field days, family events, etc.)?*

YesNoWorking towards this

29. How often are teachers connecting with parents and/or offering events programs for parents to attend?*

Additional Questions

30. Does your school have access to a full-time counselor, social worker, and psychologist for providing counseling, psychological, and social services?*

YesNoPart-time services onlyOnly counseling/social services, not psychology

31. Does the counseling, psychological, or social services provider have a system for identifying and tracking students with emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs?*

YesNoIn development

32. Based on your knowledge, what would you say is the largest health related risk facing your students? (This could fall into any area of health- nutritional, physical, chronic conditions, behavioral health, vaccinations, tobacco, etc.)*

33. Do you offer programs/supports for staff health & wellness (fitness programs, mental health resources, staff breaks, EAP, personal days?)

YesNoIn development

34. Do you have a full-time nurse on staff who is trained to handle common chronic health illnesses?

YesNoIn developmentNurse is shared among 2 or more buildings in the district

Please use the area below to provide additional information about the supportive environments provided by your district around student nutrition, physical activity, and emotional wellness that were not already addressed or that you would like to further explain to assist the grant reviewers in their understanding of your district and your needs. (if any answers above need further explanation, please use this area and reference which question above you are referring to)*

Please use this area to provide a broad overview of what you are hoping to accomplish with this funding (specific action plan and budget will be emailed to you as a final step in your application) and items you would like to purchase if you are awarded and any other information that you wish us to know/have as we review your application. As a reminder, sustainable and/or evidenced based projects will be given preference.*

Thank you for your interest in Activate Allen County's Activated School Challenge. Please submit this form and within 2-5 buiness days, you will be getting a follow-up email from Activate staff (Kayla Monfort) with the final step to complete for your application. This will include an action plan and budget for you to let us know what items you plan to purchase to complete your action plan/project idea. This plan and budget WILL need to be submitted in order for your application to be considered for funding. If you have any questions along the way or need suggestions or advice, please reach out to Kayla Monfort, Director, Activate Allen County at kmonfort@activateallencounty.com.