ALTUS – Grants totaling more than $68,000 from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust have been awarded to Altus Public Schools.
Statewide, $387,500 in Healthy Incentive grants were presented to 25 school districts and sites.
'Cultivating healthy habits early creates the foundation for a lifetime of wellness,” said TSET executive director Julie Bisbee. “These grants are an investment in our future, supporting schools in creating environments that prioritize the health and vitality of Oklahoma's students, staff and communities.'
The TSET Healthy Incentive Grants program is dedicated to strengthening policies to improve school nutrition, enhance physical activity opportunities and foster tobacco- free environments for students, faculty and staff. Grounded in national best practices and expert recommendations, these initiatives aim to cultivate healthier educational landscapes across the state.
Grant funds can be used for health-promoting projects, including playground enhancements, cafeteria equipment, hydration stations and health living curriculum. Incentive grant amounts vary based on enrollment size and the types of strategies implemented.
Specifically, the Altus Early Childhood Center received $10,000 which will be used to build a walking path around the playground. Additionally, Altus Elementary will spend $16,000 for a new playground while Altus High School will use its $12,500 grant to purchase tables, benches and umbrellas for lunch and outdoor classroom.
Altus Intermediate School, Altus Junior High and Altus Primary School each received $10,000 grants. The intermediate school and junior high will use their grant funds for education for the prevention of vape use and promoting smoking cessation. At the same time, the primary school spend its funds to install refillable water stations.
“Altus has done a great job of passing healthy behaviors,” said Thomas Larson, TSET director of public information and government affairs. “This has been a multi-year process and the amount of grants are based on policies and student enrollment.”