A former Demopolis Middle School teacher recently received an award from Gov. Robert Bentley.

Quintin Jackson received the H.E.A.L. Award on Friday, May 23 from Bentley for introducing healthy habits to elementary school-aged children through physical education cirriculum. He currently teaches at J.S. Abrams Elementary School in Bessemer.

H.E.A.L. stand for Healthy Eating Active Living, and it’s a Birmingham-based nonprofit organization focused on improving children’s health.

Introducing healthy habits at a young age gives children an advantage to feel better, prevent disease and enjoy greater success in school. HEAL currently serves approximately 12,000 children in 70 schools statewide.

Each year, HEAL recognizes a school, a teacher and more than 200 fourth and fifth grade students for setting a standard of excellence by embracing the HEAL curriculum, adopting a healthier lifestyle and inspiring others.

Quintin is a former offensive lineman and 2005 graduate of the University of West Alabama who decided to give back by becoming a physical education teacher. He taught at Demopolis Middle School from 2007-2010.

Jackson said he is grateful to the coaches who always motivated him to do his best, and he said he wants to do the same for his students.

He is married to Michelle Jones-Jackson, a native of the area, and they have a son, Zion. He is son-in-law of Dorothy Jones Weaver of Forkland.