Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

5/1/07

NEWS RELEASE
Hazelwood Fifth Grader Wins $5,000 Nickelodeon Grant

Thanks to fifth grader Tara Hesson, Hazelwood Elementary School is $5,000 richer. On April 23, Hazelwood Elementary School received a special delivery of $5,000 cash from Nickelodeon’s “Let’s Just Play Giveaway.” The money is to be used in support of a project that enhances opportunities for kids to engage in physical fitness activities.

In December, Tara saw a Nickelodeon ad encouraging kids to write in to request funding for their school’s physical fitness programs. Tara, an active athlete who plays basketball and volleyball, participates in gymnastics, runs track, and never passes up a good game of tackle football, figured the money might help her classmates get more excited about sports. “I had to give four reasons on the application why I wanted my school to win, and my first reason was I wanted kids to be fit,” says Tara. “I heard Bill Clinton on TV once who said a lot of kids are overweight.”

On Friday afternoon when the check arrived, Principal Sally Colburn made a surprise announcement over the loudspeakers congratulating Tara for her efforts. “I think Tara’s actions will encourage other kids to try new things,” remarks Mrs. Colburn. The reader board outside the schoolhouse also congratulates Tara and Nickelodeon for the generous cash gift.

Tara is making the most of her last year in elementary school and is looking forward to her future, particularly to the fact that she can use this and other awards in her college applications. “That’s what I call cool,” exclaims Tara.

For more information contact Amy Spence, public information officer, at 253-931-4713.