Dr. Stephanie Peabody, founder and executive director of the Brain Health Initiative (BHI), announced today that the Suncoast region, beginning with the School District of Manatee County and Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, has been selected by the BHI to execute a pilot Schools for Brain Health program. Said Manatee County Superintendent Cynthia Saunders, “This innovative collaboration will initially include six schools in Manatee County, which cover two separate communities, Lakewood Ranch and Bayshore. We’ve been very excited to join forces with the Brain Health Initiative to provide our students, parents/caregivers, and staff with the very latest technology, programming, and data to improve performance while addressing the overall brain health and wellness of our school family.” Working toward the larger goal of creating Brain Healthy Communities of Excellence, the BHI will lead engagement, research, and innovation efforts regarding ways educating with brain health in mind can have a significant benefit to all life outcomes (e.g., development, maturating, aging, learning, health, well-being, etc.) for the entire school community (e.g., students, parent/caregivers, personnel), as well as the ripple effect to the larger community. Understanding the needs and current state of brain health and illness and innovating brain healthy interventions in partnership with this sector of the community that can be measured, documented, and replicated has the opportunity to impact the greater good, and the results will be published. Through the Schools for Brain Health initiative, schools in the Suncoast region, beginning with Manatee County, will work toward certification as a Brain Health School Center of Excellence. These schools will serve as prototypes that can be replicated, enhancing brain health, optimizing brain performance, and decreasing risk of brain illness for all ages and across the region and beyond. BHI has had multiple national and global interests from public, private, parochial, and charter schools to participate in and benefit from Schools for Brain Health.

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