The city of Selma was recognized Wednesday by First Lady Michelle Obama for its accomplishments in the Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties initiative.

Selma Mayor George Evans and his wife, Jeannie, who heads the Selma program, were invited to the White House to attend a celebration for Selma and other participating cities.

Selma was one of 52 cities that were recognized for earning gold medals in all five areas of the program. The five areas are creating a healthy start for children, empowering parents and caregivers, providing healthy food in schools, improving access to healthy, affordable foods and increasing physical activity.

“I am proud to have Selma’s First Lady head the Let’s Move initiative for our city,” Mayor George Evans said in a press release.

“Her professional backgrounds along with her dedication to ensure a healthier community has awarded Selma to achieve gold medals in each of the five areas outlined in Mrs. Obama’s program. Our children are our future, and teaching them that eating healthy is a way of life; it’s not a diet.”

Selma’s Let’s Move program is part of a national initiative to encourage communities to live healthier lives by making healthier choices like eating nutritious foods and exercising.

Selma’s most recent Let’s Move events were Spring Farm Camp and One Hot Summer – Let’s Move.

Spring Farm Camp in April taught children and adults about farming, introduced them to Alabama Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan and showed them how solar energy works by planting collard greens in a greenhouse.

The One Hot Summer event saw more than 200 children and adults dancing and exercising to music and eating healthy foods.

Only 52 communities were recognized for their achievements of the 500 that take part in the program.