The NFL and Riverside team up for students

By Rusty Nixon
Director of Development and Alumni Affairs

PLYMOUTH - Here's proof that watching football on TV can be good for you.

Principal Donna Burroughs of Plymouth's Riverside Intermediate School an example of that as her school will reap the benefit of doing more than just watching but acting. The school has received grant funding from the Dairy and Nutrition Council of Indiana, Inc., to sponsor activities for the school's Fuel Up to Play 60 program during the 2011-2012 school year.

"The NFL is one of the sponsors of the grant and I think I first heard about it watching the ads on TV," said Burroughs. "We like to emphasize different kinds of things in different years and this year we really wanted to encourage our kids to be active and healthy in mind and body. That's what this grant is all about."

Fuel Up to Play 60 is a national program sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the National Football League to encourage students to eat healthy and be physically active at least 60 minutes every day. Funds from the dairy council will be used to purchase fresh foods and vegetables for a taste testing at school.  The students will also prepare “healthy” snacks for a Super Bowl party at school as a couple of the dietary activities that will take place.

In order to be eligible Riverside formed a committee to do an audit of the school - taking a look at such elements as the nutrition offered at the school, the physical education and recess programs. After taking a look at themselves and submitting those results the NFL sent back a "playbook" of options for the school to use in addressing any areas they found themselves wanting and the money to pursue those opportunities.

"We thought this was something that the whole school could be involved with and the kids would really get excited about because it is sponsored by the NFL," said Burroughs. "Next week we'll actually receive the money and begin to implement the program."

The funds will also be used to plan some new activities for the Riverside playground and purchase the equipment for those activities.   All Riverside students have been invited to sign up for the program at home at the website www.fueluptoplay60.org. The funds from the Dairy Council will also be used to purchase four brand new bicycles.  These bicycles will be awarded to students through an end of the year drawing.  To be entered in the drawing, students must be a Fuel Up to Play 60 participant.