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East LA School Welcomes NFL as Winner of Play 60 Bus Stops With You Contest
KIPP Raíces Academy wins NFL contest to fight childhood obesity and welcomes NFL players, coaches, cheerleaders and mascots and receives over $25,000 in equipment
June 18, 2012
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Students at KIPP Raíces Academy pose with players, coaches, cheerleaders, and mascots as part of the NFL Play 60 The Bus Stops with You Contest.
EAST LOS ANGELES - KIPP Raíces Academy (KRA) welcomed NFL players, coaches, cheerleaders, mascots, and others to its campus today as winner of the inaugural NFL PLAY 60 Bus Stops With You contest. NFL PLAY 60 is the National Football League's campaign to encourage kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to help reverse the trend of childhood obesity. In addition to the visit, KRA will receive football equipment, bleachers, and physical activity gear, and each KRA student also will receive a football from the NFL, as part of the league’s Hispanic youth initiative. The donated items total nearly $25,000.
The school, which is located in a recently renovated facility in East LA, is the 4th highest achieving elementary school in LAUSD. The school serves 420 students, 90% of whom qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch. KIPP Raíces was previously featured on the Nate Berkus Show, when its school leader received a surprise office makeover.
“We are so proud of KIPP Raíces Academy and honored to host members of the NFL,” said Marcia Aaron, KIPP LA Schools Executive Director. “We thank them for their generosity and for playing their part to tackle childhood obesity.”
“KRA students exercise their minds every day, but the limited play space and lack of physical activity equipment was a detriment in exercising their bodies as well,” said Amber Medina, KIPP Raíces Academy Founding Principal. “Thanks to the NFL, we now have bleachers and equipment for the kids to play and maintain an active lifestyle.”
Below are additional details; please contact us with any questions or if you would like additional information.
CONTACT: Jelena Dobic, (323) 793-4027 | Glenn Gritzner, (310) 923-1551
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NFL CELEBRATES KIPP RAÍCES ACADEMY, WINNERS OF INAUGURAL NFL PLAY 60 BUS STOPS WITH YOU CONTEST
Event features players, coaches, cheerleaders and team mascots from around the league and $25,000 in donated equipment
WHO:
• San Francisco 49ers LB NAVORRO BOWMAN; New York Giants RB AHMAD BRADSHAW; Green Bay Packers WR RANDALL COBB; Green Bay Packers LB CLAY MATTHEWS; Oakland Raiders RB DARREN MCFADDEN; Denver Broncos LB VON MILLER; San Diego Chargers QB PHILIP RIVERS; Houston Texans DE JJ WATT
• Seattle Seahawks Head Coach PETE CARROLL
• NFL Network analyst WILLIE MCGINEST
• Hall of Fame members MIKE HAYNES, JAMES LOFTON and WARREN MOON
• Arizona Cardinals mascot Big Red, Cleveland Browns mascot Chomps
• Cheerleaders from the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers
• Students & faculty from KIPP Raíces Academy
WHAT: Last season, nearly 3,000 communities entered the NFL PLAY 60 Bus Stops With You contest by writing a short essay and submitting a photo on how the NFL PLAY 60 Bus could help the youth in their town get more active and healthy. As winner of the contest, KIPP Raíces Academy will receive a visit from the NFL PLAY 60 Bus full of sports equipment and gear, as well as NFL players, mascots and cheerleaders.
The winning entry, submitted by kindergarten teacher, Kasey Gentry, detailed the school’s limited play space and lack of physical activity equipment. To help KIPP Raíces students get active, players, along with USA Football coaches, will help teach the kids football fundamentals during the NFL PLAY 60 youth football clinic during the event. In addition, KIPP Raíces Academy will receive football equipment, bleachers, a shade structure in order to play outside in the hot weather, and physical activity gear. The donated items total nearly $25,000.
Each student at KIPP Raíces Academy also will receive a football from the NFL, as part of the league’s Hispanic youth initiative.
A number of NFL PLAY 60 sponsors will contribute to the school’s health and wellness goals during the event. The National Dairy Council and the Dairy Council of California will donate Fuel Up to Play 60 start-up kits and education materials to enhance the school’s nutrition and physical activity initiatives. Kinect for Xbox 360 will donate five Kinect prize packages, and will be on-site to show support for the school’s hard work and to help boost its overall physical activity levels.
In addition to the event at KIPP Raíces, the NFL will send special NFL PLAY 60 kits to 24 runner-up schools who entered the NFL PLAY 60 Bus Stops With You Contest.
The event will serve as the primary site of the NFL PLAY 60 media campaign shoot for the 2012 season. Previous NFL PLAY 60 spots have featured Falcons, Panthers and Lions players on the NFL PLAY 60 Bus. This year’s campaign will include players, mascots and cheerleaders from around the league and will debut online this fall at www.NFLRUSH.com.
