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TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation has selected seventeen area schools to share a $1 million grant to increase physical activity among their students and communities.

The schools that will be receiving the grant are Leach Public School $27.502, Greasy Public School $68,000, Jay Public School $15,990, Sequoyah High School $71,511, Maryetta School $71,400, Kansas Public School $145,787, Locust Grove Public School $44,253, Warner Public School $60,536, Rocky Mountain School $70,892, Marble City Public School $40,000, Kenwood Public School $55,000, Briggs Public School $70,200, Bell School $32,500, Tenkiller Elementary $81,911, Watts Public School $21,675, Dahlonegah School $76,683, and Stilwell Public School $98,950.

"We are very, very thankful," said Marjorie Snyder, title VII director for Maryetta School. "It will increase participation and improve our grounds."

Maryetta School will use the grant money to apply asphalt to their walking trail and develop an incentive program for people in the community to use the trail as a form of exercise.

"All of our 575 students and about 200 parents currently use the trail, and I expect that to increase with the incentive program," added Snyder.

Warner Public School will be building a new fitness center soon and will use the grant money to furnish it.

"We plan to use the money to purchase fitness equipment," said Monte Madewell, superintendent of Warner School. "I really appreciate the Cherokee Nation for looking at our request."

Schools that applied for the grant had to submit a plan for improving their existing physical activity program or starting a new one. The plan had to include a specific budget and dollar amount needed to accomplish their goal. The Cherokee Nation then distributed the grant as a form of diabetes prevention among Native American people. Schools with a high number of Native American students were given top priority in the selection process.

"Diabetes is at near-epidemic levels in many Cherokee communities," said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "We want to teach our kids how to live a healthy lifestyle at an early age. By working together with local schools, we hope to increase the fitness level of our children."