WHEELERSBURG — Wheelersburg Schools has been awarded a grant of $11,600 by the “Fuel Up to Play 60” and the American Dairy Association Mideast (ADA) illustrating their continued commitment to child health and wellness and support of healthy nutrition and physical activity programs.
On behalf of local dairy farmers, the American Dairy Association Mideast has provided $1.4 million in grant funding in Ohio and West Virginia to help students and their schools implement healthy changes.
Scott Higgins, President and CEO for ADA, said they are proud to invest in the communities, and to be proponents of healthy changes in schools.
“Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers are proud to invest in their communities to advocate for and implement healthy changes in schools,” Higgins said. “Fuel Up to Play 60 is making a positive impact in schools across the country, including the more than 3,800 Fuel Up to Play 60 schools in Ohio and West Virginia. Together with our partners, America’s dairy farmers are taking action to help students and schools fuel greatness.”
Mark Knapp, Superintendent of Wheelersburg Schools, said they greatly appreciate the grant, and the effort was spearheaded by a parent in the Wheelersburg School District.
“There was a grant application, and we are very thankful for the assistance of Malissa Scarver, a dietitian of Kings Daughters Medical Center of Ohio, and she is also a parent here in the District who spearheaded the effort to write the grant for us in conjunction of some of our staff members, and we are really excited that the grant was approved,” Knapp said. “The grant is actually sponsored by the National Football League, ‘Fuel Up to Play 60 Campaign. The American Dairy Association is a partner, along with The U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the School Lunch Program. The idea is to promote good nutrition practices for students and also healthy living and exercise.”
Created in partnership by the National Football League and National Dairy Council, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fuel Up to Play 60 is the nation’s largest in-school wellness program creating real transformational change reaching more than 73,000 schools nationwide since its launch in 2008.
The Wheelersburg School District plans to put the grant to use in multiple ways.
“The grant proceeds will be utilized to purchase some smoothie machines for the school breakfast program in the cafeteria. It will also be used to purchase some hot and cold cooler bags that can be used to transport breakfast foods, because our breakfast program at the Elementary School is in the classroom, it is not in the cafeteria,” Knapp said. “So these insulated bags will be used to transport hot and cold food to the classrooms. With the third component of the grant, a walking path will be designated around the school property, and there will be some outdoor exercise equipment purchased to go along with the walking path.”
The kick off of planned activities will be March 23.
We look forward to getting all of these things implemented, and plan on having it all ready to go some time in the month of March, which is National Nutrition Month. Our planned kickoff will be on March 23, which happens to be our Parent Teacher Conference night, so we are planning to do some activities in conjunction with the Parent Teacher Conference night,” Knapp said. “There will also be some activities leading up to this. The District Wellness Committee will be meeting to discuss the grant, and some other ideas that we have planned leading up to March 23.”
For more information regarding the program visit, www.FuelUpToPlay60.com.
