Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) visited the Lillian M. Steen School in Bogota on Tuesday to congratulate students and staff for being this year’s grand prize winner of the New York Jets’ “Eat Right, Move More” program.
Vainieri Huttle, who represents Bogota in the state Assembly, joined with New York Jets Offensive Tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and NJ Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher to honor the elementary school’s efforts to incorporate healthier eating choices into daily menus and encourage more physical activity amongst students.
“With obesity becoming a growing epidemic throughout this country, it’s important that we find innovative ways to encourage healthier habits among our youth,” said Vanieri Huttle. “I want to congratulate everyone at the Steen School for taking this challenge seriously and rising to the occasion to win the grand prize. I’d also like to thank the Jets organization for sponsoring this worthwhile program.”
As recipients of the award, the school will be recognized on field at the Jets home game versus the Kansas City Chiefs on December 11 and receive a $5,000 kitchen makeover thanks to the collaboration between the Jets and the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council’s Fuel Up to Play 60 campaign. During the visit, a number of children from the school were also chosen from a lottery to attend the December 11 game.
“This is a day I’m sure many of these students will remember for the rest of their lives. But more importantly, I hope they carry the healthy eating and lifestyle habits they’ve learned with them well into adulthood,” added Vainieri Huttle. “I’m sure this group of students could teach Congress a lesson or two on school nutrition.”