NEWBERRY COUNTY — Prosperity-Rikard Elementary School has received a mini grant in the amount of $4,000 from Fuel Up to Play 60, as presented during the Newberry County School Board meeting.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is a partnership between America’s Dairy Farmers and the National Football League, said Mickela Mitchell, manager of health and wellness programs with the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association Inc.

“Thirty-eight million students in 73,000 schools across the country have had their lives touched through Fuel Up to Play 60,” Mitchell said. “Dairy Farmers have poured $20 million of their hard earned dollars into schools who were willing to let students achieve their health and wellness goals through Fuel Up to Play 60.”

Mitchell said she is often asked in states like South Carolina, where one in three children is obese and one in five of those same children face hunger, “are we doing our very best for them?”

“Well, I can tell you, you have a school in your district, at Prosperity-Rikard Elementary, that is doing wonderful things and doing the very best that they can for their students,” she said.

Prosperity-Rikard is one of seven schools in South Carolina selected for this grant. Their plan of work will enhance a commitment to making sure students get breakfast with a new mobile cart that will also be used to showcase healthy snacks from their school garden, and to enhance student engagement and activity at recess time.

“We are excited about the opportunity to start the Fuel Up to Play 60 program at Prosperity-Rikard Elementary School,” Mitchell said. “Healthy students are better students, which is what Fuel Up to Play 60 is all about. The program, launched by the National Dairy Council and the NFL, is focused on getting students to ‘fuel up’ with nutrient-rich foods like low-fat and fat free milk, fruits, vegetables and whole grains and to ‘get up and play’ for at least 60 minutes a day.”

In other business, construction at Newberry High School is expected to be finished by Sept. 16 and construction of the Mid-Carolina High School tennis courts is in its final stages.

Officials from Prosperity-Rikard Elementary School receive a grant for $4,000 from Fuel Up to Play 60.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_DSC_0404.jpgOfficials from Prosperity-Rikard Elementary School receive a grant for $4,000 from Fuel Up to Play 60. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Mickela Mitchell announces Prosperity-Rikard has received a grant from Fuel Up to Play 60.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_DSC_0402.jpgMickela Mitchell announces Prosperity-Rikard has received a grant from Fuel Up to Play 60. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.