(TRENTON) – The New Jersey Department of Agriculture along with New York Jets kicker Chandler Catanzaro visited Public School #2 in West New York today to honor the school as one of the “Division Champions” for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Jets PLAY 60 “Eat Right, Move More” program.

The Jets PLAY 60 “Eat Right, Move More” program, a partnership between the Jets, the Department of Agriculture, and the American Dairy Association North East, encourages New Jersey school children to take advantage of healthy foods in their school cafeterias and become more active.

“The Jets Play 60 Eat Right, Move More program reinforces schools’ efforts to teach children to make healthy choices, whether it is eating more fruits and vegetables or getting more exercise,” said Rose Tricario, NJDA Division of Food and Nutrition Director. “We congratulate West New York School #2 for creating an environment that encourages access to nutritious foods and opportunities to be more active.”

Catanzaro visited the school for a fun and educational program and presented the school with a $5,000 grant to improve school food service and physical education programs, made possible by the Jets and the American Dairy Association North East.

“Prioritizing healthy foods and being active is so important for my daily routine to be successful on and off the field,” said Catanzaro. “The Jets and the Department of Agriculture have a great program to motivate schools and students to live healthier lifestyles.”

Schools were judged on their outstanding efforts to provide children with fresh produce, healthy foods, nutrition education and opportunities to increase physical activity. They also were required to have at least 100 students participate in the Jets Play 60 Program during which students must log one hour a day of activity for a week.

West New York School #2 offers fresh fruits and/or vegetables with school lunch. Some of their most creative menu items include tomato salsa and pickles prepared by the students themselves from classroom instructions by the district chef and offered in the cafeteria’s salad bar. As the children learn that foods can be prepared in various way, they are given the opportunity to prepare a variety of fruits and vegetables grown in New Jersey. In addition, over 100 students participated in and completed the Jets Play 60 portion of the program.

"Our students and staff were very excited to be involved in the Eat Right, Move More program," said School #2

Principal Christian Cardenas. "We believe that students who eat healthy and exercise will perform better in school. Making time for physical activity is a priority at P.S. #2 and this grant program has helped focus on that goal."

 The school will use its prize money for gym equipment, such as basketball hoop extensions to make the game more accessible for its younger students, and to further enhance the school’s nutritional programs. The school believes the program will assist students and families in learning healthy food habits and making those habits part of their everyday lives.

The 2016-2017 “Eat Right, Move More” Grand Champion was Pace Charter School in Hamilton, which received a $15,000 grant and a Jets Program in May. Two other “Division Champions,” Amerigo A. Anastasia School and Linden High School, received a $5,000 prize and Jets program.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture administers the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs, special milk and after-school snack, Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program. Almost 700,000 children eat lunch at school every day in the Garden State.

About the New York Jets

As a professional football team that plays in New Jersey, the Jets take great pride in a long-standing, year-round commitment to our community. Programs funded by the New York Jets Foundation look to positively influence the lives of young men and women in the tri-state area by promoting fitness, supporting youth football and preventing bullying, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

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To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA1 and @JerseyFreshNJDA.