PASCRELL REQUESTED GRANT FUNDS

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J., 8th) announced today that the Paterson School District has been awarded $344,943 in new federal funding under the Carol M. White Physical Fitness Program Administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Paterson had applied for the funding, and Pascrell wrote a letter urging the Department of Education to fund the City's request. Paterson will contribute a match of just over $38,000.

The Carol M. White grant program supports innovative approaches to health and physical activity that will equip students with the knowledge to be healthy and physically active for a lifetime. Funded activities include staff development and training as well as the purchase of equipment.

The School District intends to use the funding to create the Paterson Fitness Education Project, which will incorporate health-related fitness education into the physical education curriculum. The grant will initially focus on 4 schools, and eventually incorporate all schools throughout the district.

"Paterson students will benefit greatly from an improved physical education program thanks to these federal dollars," stated Pascrell. "We need to get our young people healthy and fit so they can reach their full learning potential."

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