Assistant New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Alfred Murray joined six Lakewood High School students, their Assistant Principal Scott Horowitz and Food Service Director Armida Caldwell of Sodexo on Sunday, December 21 as the New York Jets and the Christie Administration recognized the school’s nutrition and wellness achievements during the Jets/New England Patriots football game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.

Lakewood High School in Lakewood was this year’s grand prize winner of the Department of Agriculture’s Jets Play 60 Eat Right, Move More Program, a collaboration between the Jets, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, Inc., that encourages New Jersey school children to take advantage of healthy foods in their school cafeterias and become more active.

“The message of eating right and getting more physical activity really hit home for the Lakewood High School students who attended the game,” said Assistant Secretary Murray. “They had a great time but also saw what people can achieve if they take good care of themselves and work hard.”

The group was brought down onto the playing field prior to the Jets game where they were taped, the tape was played during a break in the game and their school’s achievement was announced.

The students who attended the game were Phylice Beverette, Terrence Cole-Woodson, Keshawn Conover, Press Iyamu, Shanae Rayside and Datrell Reed.

In addition to being honored at the Jets game, Jets kicker Nick Folk visited the school on December 16 to meet with students and present the school with their $15,000 prize, half of which will be used to purchase fruit and vegetable kiosks for the cafeteria. The other half will be used for the purchase of physical education equipment.

To win the Eat Right, Move More contest, Lakewood showed it offers healthier snacks and had 100 students participate in the Jets PLAY 60 Challenge, where students logged at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day for four weeks. Additionally, school lunch and breakfast menus were reviewed and the school had to show strong support and demonstrate efforts to improve nutrition and physical activity among their students.

First and second-prize winners will be announced in the spring and will receive player programs. The deadline to apply for the NJDA’s Jets PLAY 60 Eat Right, Move More program is January 16. To apply, go to www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/fn/pdf/eatrightmovemoreappl.pdf.

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 future for countless young men and women in the tri-state area by promoting fitness and supporting youth football, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

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