Capital Blue Cross Grants Support Innovative and Healthy Education Initiatives

from Capital Blue Cross

Photo courtesy of micheile henderson on Unsplash

Capital Blue Cross is supporting scores of 2024 educational programs by distributing nearly $1 million in 80 Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Live Healthy school grants across Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley so far this year.

EITC grants use state business-tax credits to fund scholarships and enrich educational opportunities through donations to innovative programs. Live Healthy grants support innovative school programs that strive to increase physical activity, enhance nutrition, and encourage healthier life habits.

Capital’s generosity has helped fund schools, summer camps, and innovative learning initiatives benefiting thousands of children.

“Our support of these creative initiatives is another example of Capital’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of the communities we serve,” said Capital Blue Cross President and CEO Todd Shamash. “These engaging programs benefit our children, which, in turn, helps build our communities. We’re proud to go the extra mile to help expand our children’s educational paths.”

Among the Central Pa. and Lehigh Valley programs Capital’s support is making possible this year:

• Healthy Eating Taste Testing – Allentown School District (Live Healthy): Twice during the 2024-25 school year, more than 2,500 elementary students will taste-test recipes that include locally grown fruits and vegetables. Student feedback will help decide which foods are later included in a district-wide menu available to nearly 17,000 students.
• Salvation Army Harrisburg Summer Youth Enrichment (EITC): More than 100 children enjoyed an activity-packed, affordable 2024 summer camp complete with literacy lessons, sessions on character and emotional development, nutrition and cooking classes, career exploration, and more.
• Tiger Tranquility Den – Fleetwood Area School District, Berks County (Live Healthy): The tranquility den creates a serene school space for students to relax and recharge so they can improve mental focus, reduce stress, and enhance their mental well-being.
• Mobile Agriculture Education Science Lab – Dauphin County (EITC): With many students generations removed from farm life, the mobile lab uses innovative methods to bridge the agricultural knowledge gap, including interactive experiments to help students across Pennsylvania connect with agriculture and explore its career opportunities.
• Gaga Ball Pit – Lewisburg Area School District, Union County (Live Healthy): More than 600 middle-schoolers benefited from fun physical exercise through Gaga Ball, a fast-paced game played with a soft foam ball that combines dodging, striking, running, and jumping.
• Junior Achievement BizTown – York County (EITC): Fifth- and sixth-graders experience business aspects of administrating a town via a simulated workday that includes interactive roles such as running a bank, managing a restaurant, voting for mayor, and more.
• Early Learning Center Playground – Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, Northampton County (Live Healthy): The playground offers a unique, sensory-friendly, safe, and extensive outdoor learning space where none currently exists for special needs students in the unit’s early intervention program.

Other Berks organizations receiving EITC and Live Health school grants include:

• Berks County Community Foundation: EITC grant.
• Boyertown Area School District, Boyertown Area Senior High School: Funds to assist purchasing materials for hands-on learning through caring for trout program, which raises juvenile trout to adulthood for release into local streams.
• Brandywine Heights Area School District, Brandywine Heights Elementary School: Early learning program to promote indoor/outdoor physical activity; Capital’s funds are for equipment that will help with strengthen motor skills.
• Daniel Boone Area School District: Funds support afterschool yoga classes taught by professional instructor.
• Fleetwood Area School District, Fleetwood Area High School: Funds support boccie ball program, which promotes inclusivity by enabling students with and without cognitive disabilities to participate together.
• Foundation for the Reading Public Museum: EITC grant.
• Governor Mifflin School District, Gov. Mifflin Elementary: Funds to buy new playground equipment.
• Hamburg Area School District, Hamburg Area Middle School: Funds to support new equipment for fitness facility.
• Oley Valley School District, Oley Valley Elementary School: Funds to buy indoor/outdoor physical equipment/materials/laser proctor system.
• Wilson School District, Southern and West middle schools: Funds to support equipment for afterschool tennis program.

For more information about these grant programs and other ways Capital supports communities, visit their website.

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Source: bctv