Receiving an award from the state of Iowa for its health initiatives is leading the Knoxville Wellness Coalition to reach higher; and the school district is planning events this spring in an effort to do its part to increase student health.

District Superintendent Cassi Pearson says they will be resurrecting the Panthers junior track meet this May, and are considering a mini-Olympics competition for adults. The school district is already teaching about good eating habits, offering taste testing of various fruits and vegetables on a regular basis to its elementary students.

Pearson tells KNIA/KRLS News healthy students are more successful at learning, and reinforcing an interest in healthy eating now will make them better students and better citizens as they grow up.

“It is social, it’s emotional and it’s physical, and in order for kids to be healthy their entire life we need to start training them and giving them good behaviors and habits as young as we can,” Pearson says.

The school district is among the partners in the Wellness Coalition, and Pearson says their association with Knoxville Hospital and Clinics, and with local businesses specializing in exercise and fitness, is helping them to reinforce this message with students when they’re outside of school.