Miss Mississippi Jane Granberry will visit elementary schools across Mississippi from October through December to encourage children to read more, stay active and build healthy habits, organizers say.
SuperTalk Mississippi reported the visits are part of a “Healthy Hearts, Bright Minds” tour organized in partnership with local nonprofit TrueCare, a provider-sponsored state Medicaid health plan.
Each stop will combine a reading activity and an interactive movement session, last about 30 minutes and typically serve two grade levels, the report said. At each school, children will receive a book, jump rope, bookmark, water bottle and a TrueCare sticker.
The tour made a kickoff visit at William Dean Jr. Elementary School in Lexington, according to the report.
TrueCare CEO Ashley Thompson is quoted in the story saying the tour brings the nonprofit’s commitment “directly into our communities” by pairing reading with movement and healthy habits. Granberry, a Hattiesburg native and University of Mississippi M.B.A. candidate who was crowned Miss Mississippi in June, is quoted saying she hopes to inspire children to pick up a book or get moving.
After the final stop, TrueCare said it will share a statewide recap with totals for students reached, schools visited, items distributed and communities served.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
