"Each year, more students are overweight or obese. Our program puts money in the hands of school nurses who are on the front line of this growing community and public health issue. They are eager to help kids learn better ways to eat and the value of regular exercise," said Alena Baquet-Simpson, M.D., medical director, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Ohio.

In the area schools' grant applications, school nurses submitted their ideas for implementing research-based programs that teach children how to improve their lifestyles. The winning grants feature creative ways to motivate kids to practice good health habits.

The eight schools where programs will be implemented in the 2005-06 school year include Sylvanian Franciscan Academy (Sylvania), Fremont Middle School (Fremont), Springfield Local Elementary School (New Middletown), Fairlawn Elementary School (Akron), John Dewey Elementary School (Warrensville Heights), Faircrest Memorial Middle School (Canton), Piqua Catholic School (Piqua) and Linden-McKinley High School (Columbus).

These grants mark the second year for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's program. Six Ohio schools, McKinley Elementary School (Lakewood), Canfield High School (Canfield), Saint James School, White Oak (Cincinnati), Brimfield Elementary School (Kent), Our Lady of Visitation School (Cincinnati) and Christie Lane School (Norwalk), received funding last year.

Today, the Ohio Association of Health Plans announced that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's School Nurse Grant Program won the 2005 Pinnacle Award in the category of Community Outreach/Partnerships, citing the program's collaborative effort "funding innovative school based cardiovascular risk reduction initiatives."

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE:WLP) . WellPoint, Inc. is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through HealthLink and UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at http://www.wellpoint.com/ .

Source: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

CONTACT: Kim Ashley, +1-513-682-8863 (Cincinnati), or Chip Palazzo,
+1-216-643-0101 (Cleveland), both of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Web site: http://www.wellpoint.com/