Broughton Student Earns Grant Highlighting Student Fitness
 Basketball star Jay Williams, student Julie Smith and principal Diane Payne sport milk mustaches. |
 Williams talks with Broughton PE classes encouraging students to make good choices and to stay fit. |
April 8, 2005 - Broughton High principal Diane Payne was handed a check from former Duke University basketball star Jay Williams Thursday thanks to the efforts of 10th-grader Julie Smith and the school's efforts to keep students healthy.
Smith found the "got milk?" Healthy Schools Challenge while surfing the web and thought Broughton should be recognized for its efforts. She wrote a short essay about the school's vending machines offering healthy choices such as water, fruit juices and baked chips. She also wrote about the school's physical education program, and the need for funding to complete the school's soon-to-open fitness center.
Smith gets much of her exercise through dance. For her International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme project this year, she discussed her work in helping a Girl Scout troop earn their dance badges.
Smith's essay earned the school a $1,000 grant and qualifies the school as one of the 50 finalists for a $15,000 gym makeover. Broughton principal Diane Payne said the $1,000 grant would go towards providing additional equipment for the new fitness center that will open in the school's renovated Holiday gym.
Broughton students were excited to talk with Williams about his basketball career at Duke and his season in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls. He also talked about the motorcycle accident that brought his career to a stop and the long road of rehabilitation that has put him back on the basketball court in recent weeks. Williams told the Broughton students he plans to be playing in the NBA against next season.
Williams was at Broughton to represent the NBA in its joint effort with "got milk?" to reward teens and their schools for creating programs that encourage students to get active and healthy.
After Williams presented the check to Payne, he spent some time with Payne, Julie Smith and her parents. Williams presented Smith with an autographed basketball. He met her parents who are both graduates of Duke University. Then they were photographed with the "got milk?" trademark milk mustaches.
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