Rennselaer, N.Y. (April 29, 2019)—The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) today awarded a $4,000 grant to the Rensselaer City School District as part of its 2019 Apples4Ed program. The grant will provide funding for the school district to create a healthy snacking program that encourages student participation in physical activity.

“The Rensselaer City School District really distinguished itself from other Apples4Ed applicants due to its creativity in linking healthy snacks with exercise as a building block for healthy minds,” said USApple President and CEO Jim Bair, who helped judge Apples4Ed applications submitted by schools nationwide. “The school district firmly believes that correlating nutrition and physical activity in a fun and friendly atmosphere will help develop lasting healthy eating habits for its students.”

The Rensselaer City School District plans to use the grant award to create a snack station in the center field of its track to reward students with fresh fruit or vegetables after completing a lap of exercise. Signage placed alongside the track with nutritional information about that day’s snack will illustrate the importance of healthy caloric intake in what USApple hopes will be part of students’ lifelong learning of healthy snacking.

“It is the mission of the Apples4Ed program to provide students access to nutritious snacks while raising awareness of healthy eating patterns,” said USApple Chair Kaari Stannard, who presented the award to the school district. “It was a pleasure recognizing the Rensselaer City School District for its winning approach of combining healthy snacks and education with exercise in an activity that resonates with students and invites participation.”

The Rensselaer City School District was one of five grant recipients under the 2019 Apples4Ed program. Robert W. Coleman Elementary School in Baltimore, Md., was awarded a grant last week to provide food-filled backpacks to its homeless student population. The remaining schools will be publicly recognized throughout April and May. Applications for 2020 Apples4Ed funding will open in August.

Apples4Ed is a program created by USApple, in partnership with the School Nutrition Association and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, to financially award schools that encourage daily consumption of healthy, balanced snacks that positively impact student achievement, focus and fitness. To learn more, visit apples4ed.com.

U.S. Apple Association is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state and regional associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 individual firms involved in the apple business.