Panama-Buena Vista Celebrates All 26 Schools Earning Blue Zones Project Approval

The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District (PBVUSD) celebrated a major milestone Friday in its commitment to student health and wellness. The district became the first large school district in Bakersfield to earn Blue Zones Project approval for all 26 of its campuses while also receiving recognition as a Blue Zones Project Approved Worksite.

Blue Zones Project Bakersfield is a community-wide initiative focused on improving health and well-being by making healthy choices easier in the places where people live, learn, work and play. Through partnerships with schools, businesses and community organizations, the initiative promotes healthier eating, physical activity, social connections and other practices associated with long-term wellness.

For PBVUSD, the recognition builds on programs and resources already established throughout the district.

Superintendent Dr. Katie Russell said health, safety and wellness have long been priorities for the district, and the partnership with Blue Zones Project has helped strengthen those efforts.

“The mindset of this district around health, safety, and wellness has always been there, and we’ve continued to want to strengthen and strengthen it over the years,” Russell said.

She credited district employees and departments for their dedication to student and staff well-being, noting that Blue Zones Project helped accelerate existing efforts by introducing new ideas and opportunities for collaboration.

All 26 campuses have access to Charlie Carts, mobile teaching kitchens that provide opportunities for hands-on nutrition education. School cafeterias feature salad bars and posters encouraging healthy eating, while social-emotional learning programs support students’ emotional well-being. Several campuses also maintain school gardens and mindfulness spaces, giving students opportunities to develop healthy habits.

As part of the Blue Zones Project approval process, the district expanded those efforts by installing no-smoking signs at every campus and introducing colorful hopscotch decals at elementary schools to encourage students to incorporate movement into their daily routines. PBVUSD also adopted recommendations to strengthen its wellness policies.

Another highlight of the partnership has been the district’s annual walking challenge through its Beyond the Bell after-school program. During the second annual event, held Oct. 26–30, students across all 26 campuses collectively walked approximately 11,689 miles.

Mike Brazier, PBVUSD director of Extended Learning, said the goal was to make physical activity enjoyable and encourage students to develop healthy habits.

The district’s after-school programs also served more than 44,000 nutritious snacks during October. Through Charlie Cart cooking activities, students have opportunities to identify, taste and prepare fruits and vegetables, connecting nutrition education with hands-on learning.

Susan Saelee, executive director of Blue Zones Project Bakersfield, said the district’s achievement reflects its ongoing commitment to creating healthier school environments. She emphasized that helping students develop healthy habits at school can have a lasting impact on their families and the broader community.

“When students have opportunities to build healthy habits and learn in environments that support their well-being, those lessons can carry into their homes and into our community,” Saelee said.

PBVUSD joins Vineland School District as the only two local districts to hold both the Blue Zones Project Approved Worksite designation and Blue Zones Project Approved School recognition across all campuses.

Today’s celebration also included a special prize for Loudon Elementary School, which won a book vending machine through a raffle tied to participation in the districtwide walking challenge. Schools earned raffle entries based on the number of miles their students walked.

The partnership will continue with additional activities designed to reinforce healthy habits. Upcoming initiatives include student hydration challenges, personalized cafeteria posters encouraging nutritious food choices and support for a planned community garden at Mountain View Elementary School.