Partners in Learning’s staff has a competitive streak that has paid off – it’s the first workplace in the community and first childcare center in the nation to receive the Excellence Recognition, the highest national standard for workplace health from Prevention Partners.

The childcare center, which is situated on Catawba College’s campus, focuses on creating an inclusive learning environment for infants through 10-year-olds with and without disabilities.

For the past three years, Partners in Learning has also made wellness a central focus of its curriculum, practices and policies.

In 2011, the childcare center received an $8,000 grant from the Margaret C. Woodson Foundation, and the center used the money to hire a wellness coordinator. They also started a wellness committee, made of staff, parents and board members.

Assistant Director Deborah Howell said the center tried to focus on healthy living before, “but it didn’t really take hold” until they started working with Prevention Partners.

“We focused on our staff, our children and our community,” Howell said, adding that they wanted to be a model of a healthy work environment.

Partners in Learning made drastic changes. They got rid of their soda machine. A registered dietitian looked at their menus and made changes. They started encouraging employees to exercise on breaks and prohibited anything but water to be consumed in the classroom.

Mary Short has been teaching at Partners in Learning for 15 years and was set in her ways when they started making changes.

“In the beginning, it was like, ‘yeah, right,’” she said.

A year and a half ago, however, she was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. That’s when her attitude changed. Since then, she’s lost 60 pounds and has become a mentor to other staff members.

Adjusting to healthier habits was hard, but “having to do it here at work helped me at home,” she said.

Having a community of support makes a huge difference, she added.

“Changed happened really quickly – well, quickly for change,” said Norma Honeycutt, director of Partners in Learning. “We had the right people on board.”

That change has earned Partners in Learning the Excellence Recognition award, along with other recognitions.

The Excellence Recognition award was received because the center earned straight As from Prevention Partners on its executive summary report card.

The center currently holds As for its culture of wellness and physical activity and A-pluses for nutrition and being tobacco-free. Those grades are compared to Cs and Ds in each category for organizations of the same size and organizations in the same sector across the nation and other organizations in Rowan County.

Partners in Learning serves breakfast, lunch and a snack each day. The meals are served family style, and teachers and students eat together.

Before the switch, the total caloric intake per person for the two meals and snack was 2,030 calories, with 2,432 milligrams of sodium and 83 grams of fat. On top of that, teachers were going to nearby fast food restaurants on their break for a second lunch.

Now, meals and snacks at Partners in Learning incorporate whole grains, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, and average around 716 calories, 902 milligrams of sodium and 14 grams of fat.

“There was a learning curve for our kitchen staff,” Honeycutt said, adding that they were sent to Johnson and Wales for some classes.

Teachers are no longer allowed to eat or drink anything in the classroom other than water. They are allowed to eat in the break room but are encouraged to make healthy eating choices.

“Ultimately, we’re teaching the children and setting a good nutritional example for them at a young age,” Howell said.

Partners in Learning’s 45 staff members are given paid breaks for exercise. Bikes, a Wii and a stationary bike are available for use. They’re also encouraged to walk around Catawba College’s campus. Those who do exercise on their breaks are entered into a monthly drawing.

Partners in Learning also reimburses employees for a gym membership as long as they go at least 12 times a month.

“It’s not all about weight. It’s about lifestyle change,” Honeycutt said, adding that their mantra is “eat less, move more.”

In addition, each staffer is weighed quarterly, and has access to periodic biometric testing, such as blood sugar and cholesterol tests. They also work on an annual wellness development plan in addition to their staff development plan.

Partners in Learning also has a support group for smokers who are trying to quit.

“We have lots and lots of competitions,” Honeycutt said. “In each of our weight challenges, we’ve lost a person.”

Over the holidays, they’re having a “maintain, not gain” competition. Any employee who doesn’t gain any weight over Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years will earn $50.

While Partners in Learning staff strive to model healthy lifestyles for their students, they also focus on nutrition, exercise and wellness in their curriculum.

“You have to change the culture,” Howell said.

The walls are plastered with posters preaching healthy eating habits and the importance of exercise and children exercise along with a free, online, national curriculum.

The center’s campus has a chicken coop and a garden, where the children can have hands-on experiences with healthy goods. If they help prepare it, “they’re going to be more likely to eat it,” Howell added.

Emilie Scharf has worked at Partners in Learning for nine months. She said the wellness policies are part of what attracted her to the center.

“I thought it was great,” she said, adding that she felt it showed the organization really values and cares for the wellbeing of its staff.

She’s lost 44 pounds since she started working at Partners in Learning, but says, “It’s not just about weight loss – it’s about overall health.”

She started running and has completed a 5K race.

“Now that I know I can do it, I can’t not do it,” she said.

“It’s kind of like tattoos – once you get one, you’ve got to get more,” she said.

“I don’t have any tattoos,” she quickly added with a laugh.

She said she really appreciated the biometrics testing at Novant.

“It’s like real hospital people giving you the real stuff,” she said.