Echo Canyon School Becomes Arizona’s First Blue Zones-Approved School

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (May 31, 2024) – Echo Canyon School is contributing to a healthier Scottsdale and setting the bar for other local schools by recently achieving Blue Zones Approved™ status. Part of the Blue Zones Project Scottsdale, this prestigious recognition marks a significant milestone in Echo Canyon’s commitment to foster a culture of well-being and better health within its school community.

“Today is really important because we are celebrating one of the features of Echo Canyon that makes it really extraordinary in terms of its learning environment,” said Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel, who serves on the Blue Zones Scottsdale steering committee. “When the Blue Zones project was starting and they were talking about community gardens and schools, the first place I recommended they visit was Echo Canyon.”

Echo Canyon School, a K-8 school located at 4330 N. 62nd St. in Scottsdale, began the process of becoming Blue Zones-approved in December 2023. Thanks to the hard work of teachers, staff, parents, students, and community partners, Echo Canyon was able to demonstrate the many Blue Zones Project Scottsdale principles that it already embodied. Principal Kat Hughes called the journey to becoming a Blue Zones Approved™ School both inspiring and transformative, enhancing the well-being of its students, staff, and families alike.

“Through the use of our gardens, our Chef in the Garden program, learning activities in our classrooms and outside, our wonderful café staff, and our great business partners, we were able to highlight everything we do to help support students to make healthy food and drink choices, have a sense of belonging, keep moving, tune out and destress,” Hughes said. “We are fortunate to have many activities and resources for our students to grow great habits that will help them to live better, longer.”

Echo Canyon’s collaborations have cultivated a supportive environment that encourages healthier choices and positive lifestyle habits community-wide.

“Echo Canyon School has been fully engaged since our early conversations, as they already had extensive programming focused on promoting healthy living," shared Danielle Anderson, Organization and Well-Being Lead for Blue Zones Project Scottsdale. "Their commitment is evident through initiatives, such as their community garden and Chef in the Classroom program with Blue

Watermelon Project. This initiative connects students with local chefs who teach them the process of growing food from scratch and preparing nutritious meals using their own produce."

SUSD recognizes the importance of helping kids make informed decisions about eating right and staying healthy. The district continues to partner with the Blue Zones Project and will be rolling out some Blue Zones-approved menu items in school cafeterias next school year.

Be sure to check out Episode 9 of SUSD’s Spotlight podcast, Blue Zones Project Revolutionizes SUSD Nutrition, with guests Patti Bilbrey, SUSD’s Director of Nutrition Services, and Sarah Kearney, Executive Director of Blue Zones Project Scottsdale, as they discuss the partnership and what lies ahead.

Find the direct link to the podcast here. You can also easily search “SUSD Spotlight” to find and stream us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and more!

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About the Scottsdale Unified School District

With more than 21,000 students in 30 schools, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has been a premier choice for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 public education for 127 years. Located northeast of metropolitan Phoenix, the District serves the educational needs of students and families in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Tempe and Scottsdale. A highly experienced, professionally certified teaching staff fosters a diverse and rigorous educational environment that engages all students in world-class, future-focused learning. Offering gifted learning, special education, career and technical education, and a variety of athletics, arts and enrichment programs and clubs, SUSD provides the rich environment today’s students need to explore their interests, develop important social skills and grow into tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.susd.org and follow along on social media: Facebook: @ScottsdaleUSD, X: @ScottsdaleUSD, Instagram: @ScottsdaleUnifiedSD, LinkedIn and YouTube.