DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — Students at the Wonderful Academy can access mental health resources, learn healthy eating habits, and enroll in college courses. Leading the school to be one of Americas Healthiest Schools for 2024.
- The annual program has been active since 2007,created by Alliance for a Healthier Generation [healthiergeneration.org], recognizing the schools across the nation that continue to go above and beyond for students and their families.
- There’s a total of 9 awards, with the Wonderful College Prep Academy Delano and Lost hills campuses earning seven.
Awards include Improving Nutrition & Food Access , Strengthening social-emotional health & learning, and Increasing family & community engagement.
Free on-site therapists, health and wellness classes, and fresh daily lunches. This is how the Wonderful College Prep Academy was able to receive the Americas Healthiest School Award.
However, they didn’t just win one award, they won seven.
“I take the bus, so I have to wake up at 6 just to get here like I choose to be here because of the resources that they give us, not only through BC but the food,” said senior Mario Arzola.
Arzola is a senior at the Wonderful Prep Academy and has been on the campus since the 6th grade.
He says the opportunities have allowed him to dream big with confidence but it’s also helped him grow as a person.
“There’s a free on-campus therapist. I decided to go to the therapist and talk to her about some of my struggles and some of the things that we’re going on in my home life and that gave me the motivation to start trying again in my classes,” said Arzola.
Arzola’s upward trajectory in school is credited to the compassion and understanding of school staff.
“Having the ability to have those appointments on-site and not having them miss school from our on-site wellness center has been such a huge resource,” said Executive Director of Partnerships and Programs Lupe Sanchez.
Sanchez says it’s this type of thinking that ultimately led the school to be recognized as one of America’s Healthiest Schools for 2024.
“Physical education, mental health, and social well-being, nutrition education, and nutrition access, local school wellness policy, and then taking care of people who take care of our scholars, our staff,” said Senior Director of Student Health and Wellness Devinder Kumar.
Kumar says supporting staff eventually goes on to benefit the students.
As is the case for Jose Medina who, because of the resources provided, has a better understanding of future career goals.
“My favorite opportunity that I am very grateful for, again I’m very grateful for this school is, they allowed me to go to UCI,” said Medina. “My family didn’t have to pay any money out of pocket so I was able to attend a four-week course over the summer because of Wonderful.”
Kumar says their overall goal is from cradle to career for their students, and now that Arzola is in his last year, he says he’s more than prepared for the next steps.
“Now I can do, like I know I can do so much more because of the school and the resources they’ve given me so I’m just like yeah I’m ready,” said Arzola.
The College Prep Academy is committed to ensuring the overall wellness and health of its students to receive all nine awards next year.
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