ZapatoRoundup-MADPic2

Elementary school children from the Edgewood ISD in San Antonio try on their new shoes during the Great Zapato Roundup

Elementary, middle and high school students from Title 1 schools in the Edgewood Independent School District received an early Christmas present thank to the Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Edgewood ISD.

Fifty-six pairs of new tennis shoes, donated by AgriLife Extension, Prairie View A&M College of Agriculture and Human Sciences, the Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension Program 4-H and Youth Development advisory committee, Bexar County Master Gardeners and area 4-H clubs, were distributed to students from throughout the Edgewood ISD the evening of Dec. 19. Distribution took place in the cafeteria of Emma Frey Elementary, 900 S. San Eduardo Ave. in San Antonio, where more than 200 students and family members had assembled for the free shoe giveaway. Additionally, many gift cards for purchasing new shoes were donated by Edgewood District Alumni Association and the Compadres for Scholarships program.

“Many students in the Edgewood ISD are in need of new shoes and these donated tennis shoes will be a useful and practical early Christmas gift for those students,” said Desiree Rucker, Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension Program 4-H and Youth Development agent for Bexar County. “Extension promotes physical activity as a means of improving youth health and well-being, so providing tennis shoes was also a true ‘rubber meeting the road’ incentive for getting more young people to exercise.”