We at Sip & Savor give a shout out to Memorial High School in West New York, N.J., the first school to earn the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's Gold National Recognition Award for promoting healthy eating and increasing physical activity.  The high school - which made sweeping cafeteria changes, boosted before and after school physical activities and required students to pass health and physical education classes each year - was one of 179 U.S. schools honored this week by former President Bill Clinton.

More than 9,000 schools participated this year in the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's Healthy Schools Program which helps prevent and reduce child obesity.  Participating schools are eligible for bronze, silver, gold and platinum awards from the Alliance.

We are proud to be doing our part as well – and proud of what we've accomplished in working with the Alliance.  Just a few months ago, America's leading beverage companies announced that they delivered on a three-year commitment to remove full-calorie soft drinks from schools across the country, replacing them with lower-calorie, smaller-portion options like juices, teas and waters.  The result: Our national School Beverage Guidelines have slashed beverage calories in schools by 88 percent.

Those of us at Sip & Savor salute this year's healthy achievement schools and the teachers, dietitians, nurses, administrators, students and parents who are making a difference.