Three Rhode Island Schools to Receive $100,000 State-of-the-Art Fitness Centers

Published on Tuesday, May 14, 2019

DON'T QUIT Campaign Selects Schools in Providence, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Jake Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils, announced today that three Rhode Island schools have been selected to receive a DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center. These $100,000, state-of-the-art fitness centers will be installed at Slater Middle School in Pawtucket, Pothier-Citizens’ Elementary in Woonsocket, and Gilbert Stuart Middle School in Providence as part of the Foundation’s DON’T QUIT Campaign.

“The DON’T QUIT initiative has presented a wonderful opportunity for our state, and I’m thrilled for our three winning schools. Students at Slater, Pothier-Citizens, and Gilbert Stuart will benefit for many years to come from these brand new, state-of-the-art fitness centers, and I’m proud of their school teams for successfully competing for this award,” said Governor Gina M. Raimondo. “Thank you to the National Foundation for Governor’s Fitness Councils for supporting health and wellness for our kids.”

“Being physically active and healthy contributes to the social, emotional, and even academic wellness of our kids, so I’m excited to hear that three of our schools will see significant upgrades in their fitness equipment,” said Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “Congratulations to Providence, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket – I look forward to visiting your schools so I can see the new fitness centers firsthand.”

“We were thrilled to see how excited schools from around the state were to take part in our DON’T QUIT! Campaign. We had many exceptional entries this year, but three schools really stood out for demonstrating innovative ways in promoting health and fitness within their schools,” said Jake Steinfeld. “The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils is thrilled to award Slater Middle School, Pothier-Citizens’ Elementary and Gilbert Stuart Middle School with new fitness centers that will have a lasting impact on kids and their community now, and well into their future. Congratulations to these three schools and to every school that participated in the campaign!”

The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils program is in 32 states, with plans to expand to all 50 states in the coming years. Each fitness center is financed through a public-private partnership with companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Anthem Foundation, Wheels Up, and Nike. TuffStuff Fitness International provides the fitness equipment. For more information about the National Foundation, visit www.natgovfit.org.

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About The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils

The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC) seeks to encourage and reward innovation in the field of youth fitness by awarding fitness centers to schools that use new and unique methods to promote student physical activity and wellness. The NFGFC envisions a fitness center in every school in the U.S., helping to build a nation that—through innovation and a “DON’T QUIT!” attitude—boasts the fittest kids in the world. Since 2012, the NFGFC has delivered fitness centers in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Georgia, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, California, New Mexico, Connecticut, Virginia, Illinois, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Ohio, Washington, Wisconsin, Arizona, Maryland, Louisiana, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah. In 2019, we will gift fitness centers to four more states including Rhode Island, Missouri, Michigan and Minnesota.