Some local schools are fighting the battle of the bulge and winning. Five Missouri schools scored high for improving health and wellness, and two local schools have made some innovative changes.

Alma Schrader Elementary School in Cape Girardeau, Gratz Brown Elementary School in Moberly, Moberly Middle School, Knox County Elementary School and Knox County R-1 High School in Edina have all been highlighted for improving the health and wellness of their students, faculty and staff.

The extra efforts won them recognition from the Alliance For a Healthier Generation's Healthy Schools Program. The alliance is a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation.

Gratz Brown Elementary and Moberly Middle School have taken similar measures to promote healthy living. And students know exercise is important.

"I think it's healthy for your body," said Gratz Brown fourth-grade student Jaren Larue.

And the staff and faculty are leading by example.

"We try and promote physical fitness between the staff by offering exercise programs," Gratz Brown Elementary PE teacher Kristin Bell said. "On April 24 we're going to have a walk-to-school day where we meet on College and have the kids walk to school."

And the staff at Moberly Middle School also knows how to lead.

"They have to have an example set for them to make those healthy choices," Moberly Middle School Health teacher Meredith Pettit said. "So we did a staff wellness program where we divided into teams and we did a health challenge. That was last year, and this year we did a Biggest Loser challenge to promote weight loss."

Some of the new programs implemented at both schools start before the first bell.

"They get walk with Coach Bell in the morning," Bell said. "And if they have good behavior they get a pink ticket and they get to go walk outside here by the M."

"We have introduced the fitness club," Pettit said. "And it's typically on Monday where the kids get up and get involved. It's a 30 minute time span where they can do a bunch of things like walk and jog."

Soda and candy machines are not allowed during school hours and both schools are working to make sure lunch is nutritious.

"They have salad at lunch, fruit at lunch," Pettit said. "They have a variety of foods they can choose from, not just fries or burgers."

The national recognition is quite an honor, but the schools want this to be the norm and not the exception.

"We are also just trying to get kids more excited about being healthy," Pettit said.

Moberly Middle School was awarded a flag for making strides in promoting healthy habits. It will also get to pick up an award at the Healthy School's National Convention this summer in Little Rock, Ark.