OKLAHOMA CITY (January 23, 2019) – The TSET Board of Directors on Tuesday approved incentive grants for schools that have passed policies to help students learn healthy habits early and promote health for students, teachers and staff through the TSET Healthy Incentive Program.
TSET funds were awarded to 21 school districts and 2 school sites as part of a comprehensive effort to prevent and reduce the leading causes of death in Oklahoma – heart disease, stroke and cancer by preventing unhealthy behaviors before they take root.
Grants are awarded to districts and schools that have implemented key strategies aimed at creating an environment that encourages students, faculty and staff to eat better, move more and be tobacco free. District and schools choose how grant funds will be used on projects that promote healthy behaviors or physical activity.
All public school districts that meet grant criteria are eligible to apply for a TSET Healthy Incentive Grant. School districts must successfully adopt health promoting policies before individual schools sites are eligible to apply.
Policy requirements for the TSET healthy incentive grants include a comprehensive tobacco-free policy that prohibits smoking, vaping and using smokeless tobacco on school grounds and a wellness policy that improves the nutrition environment, increases physical activity and promotes employee wellness. Research shows that healthy behaviors established during childhood carry through to adulthood.
“We are proud to recognize school districts that have made the healthy choice the easy choice,” said TSET Interim Executive Director Julie Bisbee. “By promoting and supporting healthy behaviors, school districts are encouraging students and staff to live a healthy lifestyle and prevent tobacco use and obesity before they take root. These small changes add up and create an environment where healthy choices become the norm.”
TSET Healthy Incentives Program for schools - district awards
|
GRANTEE |
County |
AWARD AMOUNT |
|
Bennington Public Schools |
Bryan |
$12,000 |
|
Bluejacket Public Schools |
Craig |
$12,000 |
|
Carney Public Schools |
Lincoln |
$15,000 |
|
Comanche Public Schools |
Stephens |
$20,000 |
|
McAlester Public Schools |
Pittsburg |
$30,000 |
|
Moyers Public Schools |
Pushmataha |
$15,000 |
|
Navajo Public School |
Jackson |
$20,000 |
|
Norman Public Schools |
Cleveland |
$100,000 |
|
Rocky Mountain School |
Adair |
$15,000 |
|
Sasakwa Schools |
Seminole |
$15,000 |
|
South Rock Creek |
Pottawatomie |
$13,500 |
|
Tahlequah Public Schools |
Cherokee |
$15,000 |
|
Tonkawa Public Schools |
Kay |
$20,000 |
|
Valliant Public Schools |
McCurtain |
$17,000 |
|
Varnum Public Schools |
Seminole |
$15,000 |
|
Waurika Public Schools |
Jefferson |
$15,000 |
|
Weatherford Public School |
Custer |
$30,000 |
|
Wellston Public Schools |
Lincoln |
$17,000 |
|
Westville Public Schools |
Adair |
$25,000 |
|
White Rock School |
Lincoln |
$15,000 |
|
Wright City Public Schools |
McCurtain |
$12,000 |
|
Total |
|
$448,500 |
TSET Healthy Incentives Program for schools – school site awards
|
GRANTEE |
County |
AWARD AMOUNT |
|
Ben Franklin Stem Academy |
Muskogee |
$7,000 |
|
Monroe Elementary |
Oklahoma |
$15,000 |
|
Total |
|
$22,000 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Whitney Dinger, whitneyd@tset.ok.gov
Direct: 405-521-4959
Cell: 405-227-0488
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The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations working towards shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working across the state, by cultivating innovative and life-changing research, and by working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public's health. TSET. Better Lives Through Better Health.