TOPEKA (KSNT) - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS) will be offering up to $200,000 in grants to local K-12 schools. School personnel have until 5 p.m. on Oct. 31 to apply for the Health Habits for Life grants, according to a press release from BCBSKS. These grants are being offered to implement programs promoting healthy lifestyle choices. The programs must address four criteria: Reduce cardiovascular risk. Increase physical activity. Learn healthy eating habits. Reinforce positive mental health among students. Healthy Habits for Life has awarded more than $2 million in grants since 2005. BCBSKS said grant money has been used to educate students on portion sizes, daily walking programs, investments into physical education and more. Verizon outage causes thousands to lose service nationwide Monday “We believe that supporting the health and well-being of students is an investment in the future of the communities we serve,” said Marlou Wegener, chief operating officer of the BCBSKS Foundation. “Healthy Habits for Life grants empower schools with the resources they need, helping create environments where children can thrive – physically, mentally and emotionally." Grant money will be available to all Kansas counties except for Johnson and Wyandotte. Grants are limited to one per school but multiple schools in a district can apply. The maximum grant amount is $2,000. Funds will be distributed in mid-December. For more information on Healthy Habits for Life, click here. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.