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Briggs School students playing basketball on the new outdoor basketball court paid for by a grant from the Cherokee Nation Diabetes Program.

BRIGGS, OKLAHOMA - The Cherokee Nation awarded Briggs School $70,000 to use for physical fitness activities and equipment.

"We used part of this money for football equipment, weight training equipment, and other equipment for the conditioning of our football team", said Jeb Richardson, teacher and coach at Briggs school. "The other part allowed for us to put in a nice basketball court outside."

"We also built a sand volleyball court and bought the equipment for that as well, in order to promote physical fitness activities outside for both students and members of the community", said Speedy Chaffin, superintendent of Briggs school. "We want our parents to help serve as role models for our students as well."

The Cherokee Nation Diabetes Program selected Briggs School as one of seventeen schools to share in a $1 million Diabetes Prevention Grant. Schools that applied for the Cherokee Nation Diabetes Prevention Grant had to submit a plan for improving their existing physical activity program or starting a new one.

Related contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org