Keeping track of all the food he was eating as a project for his health class opened Windham High School senior Tim Soper’s eyes to the amount of junk he was consuming. When the class did it for a second week, he had seen enough.

“I cut down on the amount I ate. I lost like 15 pounds,” he said.

Soper is just one of the students who say that the approach Windham educators are taking in teaching health is having an effect on his life, and it’s that approach that’s winning the school accolades.

On the heels of a national award that last year recognized the school’s promotion of healthy lifestyles, Windham’s health education program has been singled out for the highest honor by the American Association for Health Education. Teachers Kim Bartholomew and Melissa Dubois and Chris Howell, the school district’s curriculum director, accepted the award, known as the Blue Apple, last month at a conference in Tampa, Fla.

It is a dedication to health, and the integration of all its aspects, that sets the school apart, said Bartholomew, who has helped shape the health curriculum during her 25 years at Windham High School. Exercise, nutrition, mental health and everyday financial acumen are combined into one, seamless lesson that uses hands-on learning to press the ideas home.

“My philosophy is you practice what you preach,” said Bartholomew. “You have to establish good, healthy practices.”

For the last 15 years, students in Windham have started each health class block with 10-15 minutes of activity, whether it be a walk, yoga or even juggling. It gets the students moving, said Bartholomew, with the aim of making activity a way of life.

The idea has spread. From time to time, other teachers bring their students down to the “wellness wing” for activities as well. That’s where you’ll find a couple of gyms, a rockwall and an exercise room, all connected by a wide hallway. It’s always a little noisy there, said Bartholomew, so it is a good spot for students to burn some energy.

“The teachers know they can come down here. It’s a culture,” she said.

The curriculum has also been adjusted so that the students get a comprehensive look at health. All students take a year-long health and physical education class as freshman, alternating between the two subjects in four-week segments.

After that, they have to complete a full credit of health to graduate, half a credit more than is mandated by the state. To do so, they can either continue with a general, comprehensive health class, take an independent living class that shows students how to live on their own (including finances, insurance, and diet), or choose a class that combines food and wellness lessons with parenting and child development.

All three options satisfy the health standards, but give students a chance to be in a class that draws their interest, Bartholomew said.

Nina McNally, a senior, said her health classes have helped prepare her for college and beyond, when she will have to make her own choices about how to live and what to eat.

“You learn more about how to take care of your body for when you are in college,” she said. “You learn you don’t always have to go to McDonald’s. You can create something healthy that is really quick.”

In addition to the general health classes, Windham High also offers 18 nine-week physical education classes covering activities like rock climbing, ballroom dancing, and fly fishing, as well as golf and tennis. By giving a wide variety of classes, school officials hope to hook students into an activity they will use for a long time as part of a healthy lifestyle.

“Hopefully, they’ll develop a habit that they will want to do for the rest of their lives,” said Bartholomew.

Max McDonald, a sophomore on the track and football teams, said he is interested in taking classes aimed at weight training and athletic conditioning. The teacher is also his football coach, and working with the teacher before has given McDonald the know-how to make himself healthier the right way.

“I get stronger. I get smarter. They teach us how to make sure we eat the right things and that our bodies don’t shut down,” said McDonald.

The students personalize everything they learn in their health and wellness classes, keeping a detailed portfolio containing their fitness profile and goals. Over the course of time, they can see just how, what they eat impacts their fitness levels.

Senior Tim Soper said simply following his food intake in detail for a week opened his eyes to how much food, junk and otherwise, he was eating.

“Then the following week we did it again,” said Soper, now keeping closer tabs on his diet. “I cut down on the amount I ate. I lost like 15 pounds.”

This kind of learning is invaluable, the teachers said.

“Rather than sitting in a classroom and learning, they are putting it into action,” said Dubois. “They are getting the information in a multitude of disciplines, and that reaffirms what we are doing.”

The health department is not resting on its laurels. Windham has for the second year applied for a nearly $1 million grant. If successful, they will use the funds to upgrade the equipment at the High School, expand the outdoor adventure program, and introduce computer tracking to the health profiles. Bartholomew also wants to spread the program more effectively to the middle and elementary schools, where space issues present problems different from those at the spacious, new High School.

As the school pushes to expand its already successful program, Bartholomew said it is exciting to be where they are today. After learning about other areas of the country, Windham, and Maine in general, are way ahead of the curve, she said.

“There were schools just starting a wellness program. We’ve had a wellness team for 25 years. There are other schools in Maine doing great things. We are way ahead of the ball game.”

Rock climbing is just one of 18 physical education electives offered at Windham High School, which has received national attention for its health and wellness programs.