Known as a “small town with a large sense of community,” Patagonia, Ariz., is a peaceful, rural town with a population of nearly 1,000 residents. Despite the desert climate, the town is known for its green land and beautiful lake. In addition, the locally owned businesses and restaurants, friendly residents and easy-to-manage traffic are frequently touted as valuable town features.

The Honorable Cindy Matus Morriss, born and raised in Patagonia, was elected in 1989 to serve as a school board member for the Patagonia Elementary School District.  Throughout her public service, Morriss has worked to ensure the district is a safe, unique, and healthy place for children to learn.

Roel Gonzalez, superintendent of Texas's Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District, looked around and felt distressed. Many of the 10,000 students in his school district were overweight and physically inactive.

A passionate children's advocate, Gonzalez wasted no time. He quickly got to work implementing a series of remarkably successful changes, such as measuring students’ body mass indices, increasing exercise time at school, and expanding food offerings by including salad bars in elementary school.