New York -- The NFL will donate a $500,000 turf field to Midwood High School in Brooklyn, it was announced today. The donation serves as a legacy of the first-ever NFL PLAY 60 Youth Football Festival, presented by Nike Let Me Play. Installation of the field will be complete by autumn of 2008, when Midwood hosts the New York City Public School Athletic League Football Championships. The field, which has not been refurbished in over two decades, also services students from Edward R. Murrow High School. In addition, the NFL will help elementary school students to stay active and healthy by donating NFL FLAG kits to fifth grade classrooms throughout the city, to extend the New York City Department of Education's C.H.A.M.P.S. program, which promotes fitness and sports skills.
"It is important to the NFL to provide safe places for New York City students to play and get active. Our players know the importance of being healthy and we are proud to provide the students of Midwood High School with a field that will help them achieve their athletic goals," said commissioner Roger Goodell.
"We appreciate the NFL's generous support for the athletic and physical education program at Midwood High School," said schools chancellor Joel Klein. "The Department of Education is committed to providing opportunities for all students in traditional and non-traditional sports and fitness activities. Our partnership with the NFL is a big win for our students."
Over the course of two days in Central Park, the NFL PLAY 60 Youth Football Festival reached 1,000 New York City public school students hailing from four boroughs and 33 schools. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students, including students from the Department of Education's C.H.A.M.P.S. program, learned football skills and health tips from current NFL players including Kellen Clemens, D'Brickishaw Ferguson and Osi Umenyiora. Draft prospects Glenn Dorsey, Vernon Gholston, Chris Long, Jake Long, Ray Rice, Darren McFadden and Matt Ryan also took the field with local students, helping them stay active for 60 minutes a day, as part of the NFL PLAY 60 youth health and fitness campaign and Nike's Let Me Play program.
The NFL PLAY 60 Youth Football Festival took place in partnership with Nike, the New York City Department of Education, and NYC & Company. Turf for the Midwood field will be provided by Generalsports Venue/AstroTurf®.
