New Orleans Saints Deuce McAllister Visits J. E. Johnson
Published 3:05 pm Wednesday, February 24, 2016
The Prentiss Headlight / JE Johnson cafeteria manager Tara Barrette, Principal Carrie Hammond Walker, Southeast United Dairy Industry Assoc., Inc.(SUDIA) Health & Wellness Programs Manager Cathi deVeer, retired New Orleans Saints Deuce McAllister, Dairy Farmer Tanya Rushing, JDC School District Food Manager Cindy Daley.
Retired New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister spent time with the cafeteria staff and greeted the children as they came through the food line at J. E. Johnson Elementary School Thursday.
The Prentiss Headlight / NFL great Deuce McAllister interacted with the JE Johnson students as they came through the lunch line.
McAllister was a standout athlete at Morton High School, and had a record – breaking career with the Ole Miss Rebels.
He holds the all-time New Orleans Saints record for most career rushing yards and touchdowns.
McAllister’s visit was in conjunction with the awards received by the school for being the first-place winner of the MS Breakfast Challenge sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition, in collaboration with the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association Inc. (SUDIA), to encourage school districts across the state to increase breakfast participation in the fall of 2015.J.E. Johnson was the Gold Award Winner in their category placing first of all elementary schools in the state.
They received $1500 cash award and a visit from an NFL MVP. G. W. Carver was the Silver Award Winner placing second in the same category and received $1000 award.
Students and educators were delighted to meet the NFL legend. McAllister signed autographs and spoke to the students encouraging them to continue with a good nutritional breakfast and congratulated the school for being a winner.
Manager of Health and Wellness Programs for SUDIA, Cathi deVeer, RD, LD, and Tanya Rushing of Tylertown, a 3rd generation dairy farmer, presented the awards. Rushing told the students some of the milk they drink may have come from her farm.
Cindy Daley, Director of Food Services for the JDC School District stated the monetary awards would be used to purchase much needed equipment for the two schools’ food services.
