Leavenworth Principal Named Hometown Hero by Governor

Governor Kathleen Sebelius named Janine Kempker, Anthony Elementary School principal, a Kansas Hometown Health Hero. “The work Principal Kempker has done to improve the health of students in Leavenworth is a great example of the impact schools can have on public health,” Sebelius said. “The Eat, Exercise, Excel (EEE) program is an innovative approach to teaching kids to not only eat better, but live better.” Kempker was notified of the award earlier in November during the Governor’s Council on Fitness meeting. The Governor’s Council on Fitness established the Hometown Health Hero Award in support of the HealthyKansas initiative that recognizes the efforts of individuals across the state that have either had a significant impact upon their community or a great personal achievement in the areas of physical activity, promoting nutrition, or working to prevent tobacco use in Kansas.

In fall 2003, Kempker developed and led the implementation of the EEE program, which is a comprehensive wellness program that focuses on improving nutrition and increasing physical activity. Benefits of the program have included increased academic scores; increased attendance; reductions in both obesity and anti-social behavior; and improved physical fitness. The school has also seen growth in parent involvement with increases in parent/teacher conference attendance and the reactivation of their Parent Teacher Association. These results have achieved national recognition as Anthony Elementary School named by Health Magazine as one of the Ten Healthiest U.S. Schools this past September. Now in its sixth year, EEE is a program with sustainable results that has a positive impact on the school’s students, as well as the Leavenworth community. For the past four years, Kempker has also partnered with the Kansas State Department of Education to encourage and support efforts by other schools to replicate EEE.