Novo Nordisk and Discovery Education Launch "Super Health, Super You" National Community Health Challenge and Learning Curriculum

SILVER SPRING, Md., Aug. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Nordisk, a global health care company and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, are challenging elementary school students to come up with new ways to help their neighbors make healthier lifestyle choices while leading more active lives. "Super Health, Super You," a three-year educational program announced today, is designed to help elementary school teachers incorporate healthy lifestyle education into their curricula both inside and outside the classroom.

Through this program, the companies will engage and activate schools to think critically about health-related issues affecting their communities. "Super Health, Super You" offers numerous exercises and activities that present fundamental community health concepts and illustrate the importance of healthy lifestyle choices.

"We've been long committed to encouraging healthy lifestyles in the places where we live and work, and with Discovery Education we can help people understand the importance of overcoming barriers to healthy lifestyle choices," says Diana Blankman, senior director, U.S. Corporate Giving & Social Impact at Novo Nordisk. "'Super Health, Super You' takes the lessons we've learned over the past few years supporting New Jersey neighborhoods, and takes them nationwide."

As part of "Super Health, Super You," Novo Nordisk and Discovery Education are launching the "Super Health, Super You" Community Health Challenge to showcase students' efforts in improving healthy living and standards in their own communities. The program will award three $10,000 grants and will allow winning schools to implement their solutions in the following categories:

Community Health Challenge Prizes

• Nutrition and Gardens Winner: One winning student group will be selected from entries addressing healthy eating and access to nutritious meals. The group will receive a $10,000 grant to implement their proposed community health solution.  
• Physical Activity Winner: One winning student group will be selected from all entries addressing increased activity and physical fitness. The group will receive a $10,000 grant to promote their proposed community health solution.
• Title 1 Winner: One winning student group will be selected from all Title 1 entrants to receive a $10,000 grant to promote their proposed community health solution. To be eligible, schools must be identified as Title 1 schools per the Elementary and Secondary Education Act by having high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families.

Finalists will be selected by Discovery Education; Novo Nordisk will then select winners in each of the three categories. One winner will be named "Grand Prize Winner" and will receive an in-school assembly that includes a recognition ceremony. Submissions are accepted now through November 16, 2017 and winners will be announced in January 2018. More information on how to enter can be found here.

Serving as an online hub for the "Super Health, Super You" initiative, the "Super Health, Super You" website houses downloadable content about diabetes prevention, fitness, nutrition topics and latest news regarding the Community Challenge.

Online materials for educators and parents to access include:

• Lesson Plans and Activities: Six lesson plans are available for upper elementary school students to highlight community health, including addressing external factors contributing to health, and the relationship between food choices and diabetes. 
• Digital Presentation: A student-facing presentation that walks students and teachers through planning and growing a garden. The presentation is available to classrooms.
• Family Toolkit:  To extend the learnings beyond the classroom, a family toolkit comprised of two community-health based family activities – one family discussion prompt will be available later this year.

"Health and wellness are the cornerstones of students' success. 'Super Health, Super You' and the Community Health Challenge are designed to help increase awareness and engagement about these important topics, and empower upper elementary schools students to start thinking critically about the future of community health," says Lori McFarling, senior vice president at Discovery Education. "We've been equipping millions of educators with content and tools to complement their lessons plans, and are excited to tap into Novo Nordisk's deep health care knowledge to help bring curriculum about health, exercise and nutrition to students."

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content and professional development for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content that supports the implementation of Common Core, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education's services are in half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at discoveryeducation.com.

About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a global health care company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat other serious chronic conditions: hemophilia, growth disorders and obesity. With U.S. headquarters in Plainsboro, N.J., Novo Nordisk Inc. has nearly 5,000 employees in the United States. For more information, visit novonordisk.us or follow us on Twitter: @novonordiskus.

SOURCE Discovery Education

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