Oroville Elementary School wins $1,000 grant from NFL, American Heart Association

An elementary school in north central Washington will receive $1,000 in new gym equipment after winning a fitness tracking competition from the NFL and the American Heart Association.

Oroville Elementary School PE teacher Andrea Baker is making a wish list with her students that includes glow-in-the-dark dodgeballs and shields. Baker said the students hoped the grant would pay for a new gym but the school has secured another grant for that project.

The NFL PLAY 60 Fitness Tracking Competition encouraged classrooms to get moving for at least 60 minutes every day and log their movement minutes through the NFL PLAY 60 app. Sponsored by the Seattle Seahawks, Oroville was one of 32 winning schools across the U.S., corresponding to each of the league’s teams.

Baker said the app and competition were helpful in motivating her students to be more active and healthier during the winter.

“They really enjoyed it,” Baker said. “It was a big deal for our tiny school.”