Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Saputo Cheese USA and its brand, Frigo Cheese Heads, have revealed the winning schools in its “Build a Bright Future” program, which is aimed at helping schools improve their learning experience and environment through funding for equipment, materials and renovations.
Schools across the country had the opportunity to be nominated for the chance at a grand prize of $10,000, followed by 10 runner-up awards.
The grand prize-winning school, Desert Star Elementary in Goodyear, Arizona, was announced March 31 during a morning student assembly that included a check presentation and a surprise visit from the Frigo Cheese Heads mascot.
“We are extremely proud of our community and the support we received during the voting period for the Frigo Cheese Heads Build a Bright Future program. Our students deserve the best and that is what we plan to do with our new lab – give them the best science experience so that they can grow as thinkers, problem-solvers and communicators,” said Jessica Worthington, principal of Desert Star Elementary.
From August to October 2021, parents, teachers and other adults across the country were invited to submit a video or written nomination explaining why their school deserved to win. All entries were evaluated by a panel of judges for the overall quality of the nomination and the proposed benefit to the school’s educational needs.
A total of 945 nominations from K-8 schools nationwide were received this year. The judges then narrowed down the list to 11 finalists, and community members, school supporters and fans were invited to vote on social media to determine the grand prizewinner.
The runner-up schools receiving $2,000 each include:
- Angie Debo Elementary – Edmond, Oklahoma;
- Atlantis Academy – Coral Springs, Florida;
- Birdilee V. Bright Elementary School – Los Angeles, California;
- Boulder Creek Elementary School – Boulder Creek, California;
- Cambridge Elementary School – Jeffersonville, Vermont;
- Dunham Elementary School – Petaluma, California;
- Elmwood Elementary School – Baltimore, Maryland;
- Meadowlark Elementary School – Billings, Montana;
- Valley Elementary School – Poway, California; and
- Woodland Hills Elementary – Woodland Hills, California.
“Giving children the tools and environment to thrive in school starts with the little things like proper equipment, access to nutritious food and other needed supplies and upgrades to help the incredible teachers and school staff who guide their learning,” said David Cherrie, Saputo Dairy USA VP of marketing and innovation. “We are proud to support education through the Frigo Cheese Heads ‘Build a Bright Future’ program and look forward to seeing the impact this funding will have to benefit the schools, their teachers and their students.”
Winning entries can be viewed at CheeseHeadsBrightFuture.com.
