Students at four Irving ISD high schools will enjoy breakfast yogurt parfaits and smoothies added to their breakfast menus and disc golf in their PE classes, thanks to a grant funded by Dairy Max. Irving ISD received $16,000 to support Fuel Up to Play initiatives at Irving, MacArthur and Nimitz high schools as well as Singley Academy.
Irving ISD high schools were selected from among hundreds of schools across the country that applied for funding to help increase awareness of and access to nutrient-rich foods and physical activity opportunities for students.
“We are committed to supporting the needs of the whole child,” says Olga Rosenberger, director of food and nutrition services for Irving ISD. “By promoting physical activity and healthy eating, we will be giving our students the extra edge for success.”
The grant will fund the purchase of cold-hold equipment to expand breakfast menu offerings, including yogurt parfaits with homemade granola and homemade yogurt smoothies with fruit, both on the traditional breakfast lines and the Grab N Go Carts. In addition, display monitors will be purchased to promote the daily breakfast and lunch menu and share nutrition education material and promotions provided by the district’s Food & Nutrition Services department.
For the physical education component, the grant will fund a portable nine-hole disc golf course featuring discs personalized with the Irving logo for each of the four high schools.
More than 73,000 schools across the United States are participating in Fuel Up to Play 60. Developed by the National Dairy Council, local Dairy Councils and National Football League (NFL) in collaboration with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Multiple health organizations and several major corporations also support Fuel Up to Play 60.
“Fuel Up to Play 60 has really taken off in Irving ISD,” says Mary Dickson, school wellness consultant for Dairy MAX. “Wellness champions and students in all schools have embraced the program, and these funds will help many of the participating schools do even more.”
Schools, parents and students can learn more about Fuel Up to Play 60 at FuelUpToPlay60.com. Schools can learn more about eligibility requirements and find the Funds for Fuel Up to Play 60 application at FuelUpToPlay60.com.
Dairy MAX, your local non-profit dairy council, represents more than 900 dairy farm families across Colorado, southwest Kansas, New Mexico, Montana, western Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. Dairy MAX communicates the importance of dairy in a nutrient-rich diet, fosters innovation in dairy promotion and educates about farming and industry practices.
