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| Titans wide receiver Marc Mariani is the spokesperson for the milk mustache campaign for the Southeast Dairy Association. |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans wide receiver Marc Mariani helped students of The Discovery School in Dickson, Tenn., celebrate their win in Fuel Up To Play 60's "Titans of Taste" Purity Milk contest at a special pep rally on Friday.
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During the six-week contest period, students, teachers and administrators drank an average of two 8-ounce cartons of milk daily. The Discovery School competed against public and private schools within a 75-mile radius of the Tennessee Titans stadium. Together, the participating schools increased milk consumption by 124 percent compared to 2011's contest.
As a winner of the "Titans of Taste" Purity Milk Contest, the school received a special pep rally where Mariani, Titans mascot T-Rac and Titans Cheerleaders Jessi and Tiffany representatives from Purity, the Southeast Dairy Association and Titans staff for the school-wide assembly program. During the pep rally, the cheerleaders talked about their own nutritional habits and exercise and encouraged the youth to be active. In addition, T-Rac also showed his unique dance skills and PLAY 60 moves for the student body.
Mariani is the spokesperson for the milk mustache campaign for the Southeast Dairy Association, who works with schools, health professionals, retailers, dairy processors and the public to promote healthy dairy foods. The Titans receiver spoke to the students about the importance of making healthy food choices, getting sixty minutes of exercise each day and overall good lifestyles choices. Mariani also talked about respecting teachers and parents as well as the importance of a good education and grades.
In addition, the winner of the "Titans of Taste" Purity Milk Contest, The Discovery School received a cash prize of $5,000 dollars which was presented by Mark Ezell of Purity Dairy. The cash prize will be used to support the implementation of Fuel Up To Play 60, including nutrition and physical fitness initiatives
"Titans of Taste" is a joint education program sponsored by the Tennessee Titans, Purity Dairies and the Southeast Dairy Association. The program encourages students to choose healthier foods, including low-fat and fat-free dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and be more physically active as recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The program provides schools with incentives, tools and resources to take an active role in improving student health. The "Titans of Taste" Purity Milk contest was held in support of the national Fuel Up To Play 60 initiative.
About the Southeast Dairy Association
On behalf of dairy farm families, the non-profit Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. (SUDIA) works with schools, health professionals, retailers, dairy processors and the public to promote dairy foods. For more information, visit www.southeastdairy.org.
About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council (NDC) and NFL, with additional partnership support from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The program encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. Customizable and non-prescriptive program components are grounded in research with youth, including tools and resources, in-school promotional materials, a website and student challenges. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit www.FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.
