Thousands of State of Georgia employees walk 880 million steps to benefit Title I schools
State Health Benefit Plan members come together to help young Georgians in their communities while improving their personal health
‘Jump Shot for Health’ awards winning schools new sports equipment and renovated basketball courts; initiative made possible by Sharecare, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, CVS Caremark, United Healthcare, Good Sports, and the Atlanta Hawks
ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sharecare and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia jointly announced today the winners1 of Jump Shot for Health, a four-month statewide steps challenge that encouraged State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) members to engage in daily movement while supporting Georgia Title I schools2.
Open to all members of the Be Well SHBP® well-being program — including public school teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, state agency employees, and legislators as well as members’ covered dependents — Jump Shot for Health ran from January 15 through May 15, 2025. Over that time, participants tracked their daily steps through the Sharecare app, and allocated them to one of 27 participating school “teams.” At the conclusion of the challenge, more than 2,600 Georgians logged nearly 880 million steps, with 12 percent of participants surpassing one million steps individually.
“Throughout the Jump Shot for Health challenge, we were blown away by how passionately SHBP members across the state stepped up and set such an important example of what it means to share care – for yourself as well as the communities in which we live, work, learn, and play,” said Dawn Whaley, president and chief marketing officer of Sharecare. “The success of this initiative also highlights the power of partnership, and we are proud to work alongside SHBP, Anthem, CVS Caremark, UnitedHealthcare, Good Sports, and the Hawks to empower people across the Peach State to live healthier, happier lives.”
Grand prize winner #1: West End Elementary (Rome, GA)
Averaging nearly 585,000 steps per person over the 120 days of the challenge, West End Elementary led all participating schools, logging more than 102 million steps across 175 team members. One in four West End participants surpassed one million steps, and the school recorded the highest number of million-step achievers statewide. West End custodian Brenda Vandermark topped the school’s leaderboard with more than 3.4 million steps during the challenge, followed by teacher’s aide Kathryn Rains with more than 2.5 million steps, and Principal Dr. Dennis Drummond with more than 2.1 million steps. As the winning team in the Jump Shot for Health challenge, West End will receive a basketball court renovation3 and be celebrated at a special court unveiling ‘pep rally.’
Grand prize winner #2: Harmony Elementary (Monroe, GA)
With an average of 557,000 steps per participant, Harmony Elementary ranked second in Jump Shot for Health and will also receive a basketball court renovation3. Over the course of the challenge, Harmony achieved strong engagement across its 136 team members who walked a total of nearly 76 million steps. Twenty-two percent of participants exceeded one million steps, and the school’s weekly steps average increased by more than 76,000 during the final leg of the challenge. Tapping into the power of their school community, staff formed walking groups to promote daily activity, and one participant reported improved health outcomes that included no longer needing A1C medication. Top team contributors for Harmony included the school’s bookkeeper, Holly Roberts, with 2.4 million steps, and teachers Twilia Minshew and Cheryl Ebanks-Manning with 2.127 and 2.125 million steps, respectively.
“At Anthem, we believe healthy communities start with engaged individuals, and Jump Shot for Health is a perfect example,” said Robert Bunch, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia. “We’re proud to support this initiative that not only empowered State Health Benefit Plan members to prioritize their own well-being, but also helped create lasting, positive change for students in Georgia’s schools. It’s a win for personal health and a slam dunk for our communities.”
Three additional schools who competed in Jump Shot for Health will receive basketball equipment courtesy of the nonprofit Good Sports:
- Third place: Oakland Elementary School (McDonough, GA) with 477,649 average steps per participant; 69 participants walked a total of 32,957,822 steps
- Fourth place: Kipp Strive Academy (Atlanta, GA) with 452,023 average steps per participant; 50 participants walked a total of 22,601,165 steps
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Most improved: Annistown Elementary School (Snellville, GA) with 316,949 average steps per participant; 105 participants walked a total of 33,279,683 steps
“With each literal step they took throughout the Jump Shot for Health challenge, SHBP members across the state showed their unwavering commitment to fostering a positive campus experience for deserving young Georgians, and in the process, they demonstrably improved their personal well-being and inspired others to do the same,” said Louis Amis, executive director of SHBP, a division within the Georgia Department of Community Health. “We are grateful to the organizations that made this healthy competition possible, and are excited to unveil the grand prize winners’ fully renovated basketball courts in the upcoming academic schoolyear.”
Jump Shot for Health is made possible by the generous support of Sharecare, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, CVS Caremark, UnitedHealthcare, Good Sports, and the Atlanta Hawks. SHBP members can continue engaging in well-being programs through the Sharecare app, available at https://bewellshbp.com/.
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia, Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us at @AnthemBCBS on X or on LinkedIn.
About Sharecare
Sharecare is a digital healthcare company that delivers software and tech-enabled services to stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem to help improve care quality, drive better outcomes, and lower costs. Through its data-driven AI insights, evidence-based resources, and comprehensive platform – including benefits navigation, care management, home care resources, health information management, and more – Sharecare helps people easily and efficiently manage their healthcare and improve their well-being. Across its three business channels, Sharecare enables health plan sponsors, health systems and physician practices, and leading pharmaceutical brands to drive personalized and value-based care at scale. To learn more, visit www.sharecare.com.
Media Contact:
Sharecare PR Team
PR@sharecare.com
1 Winners of Jump Shot for Health were determined by average step count per participant.
2 https://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/Federal-Programs/title-i/Pages/Disadvantaged-Children.aspx
3 Scheduled in coordination with the school’s administration and academic calendar.
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d0341b8-b759-40cc-aca6-86d569014fce
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