WV Healthy Schools in Action, a partnership between the West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences and the CDC, is setting new standards for school wellness in West Virginia. Through this five-year initiative, West Virginia was selected as one of 20 states to receive CDC funding, with initial efforts focused on transforming wellness practices in Mercer County.
In the project’s first year, WVHSIA achieved 100 percent participation across Mercer County’s 24 schools, each of which created a wellness team led by a dedicated wellness leader. Teams assessed their wellness programs using the School Health Index (SHI), identifying both strengths and growth opportunities, and developed action plans tailored to the specific needs of their school communities.
Based on early SHI findings, many schools discovered a need for stronger employee wellness programs. With WVHSIA support, schools launched initiatives like after-school fitness classes, healthy eating options, and staff-student intramural activities. These programs, combined with Mercer County’s recent involvement in the state’s Healthy Habits Challenge, have built a community-wide commitment to health.
To support ongoing wellness efforts statewide, WVHSIA introduced a series of open-access professional development badges through for school health personnel: Wellness at Work , Data Analysis for School Health , and WSCC Model Navigator . These credentials, offered through the Mountaineer Micro Academy, provide school staff with flexible, on-demand training in areas critical to implementing the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model, conducting data-driven assessments, and building school wellness programs.
With these new credentials, WVHSIA aims to empower school personnel with the knowledge and resources to sustain impactful health initiatives for both students and staff, paving the way for lasting improvements across West Virginia’s school communities.