Enid Public Schools is the recipient of an $80,000 grant from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) through the Health Incentive Grant for School Districts program.

The TSET funds were utilized for significant improvements of the Coolidge Elementary playground. Improvements specifically funded with the TSET funds include the demolition of the existing playground surface and the installation of concrete and the turf playing surface on the playground. Various aspects of the project that took place over several months and in different phase were the installation of new playground fencing, accessible sidewalks, and the addition of a sprinkler system for the peripheral playground grass. In all more $175,000 was spent on the playground improvements at Coolidge Elementary.

TSET invests in programs and partnerships that improve health across Oklahoma. Created by voters in 2000, TSET is an endowment trust funded by a percentage of payments from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) between 46 states and the tobacco industry. Funds are invested by a Board of Investors, and only the earnings from those investments are used by a Board of Directors to support efforts to improve the health of Oklahomans. TSET’s focus, as outlined in the Oklahoma Constitution, is to reduce Oklahoma’s leading causes of preventable death — tobacco use and obesity — in order to reduce cancer and cardiovascular disease. As a state grantmaking trust, TSET funds prevention, research and emerging opportunities to improve the health of every Oklahoman.

EPS has been the recipient of several TSET grants, including new sidewalks at Garfield Elementary and for physical education at Adams Elementary.

More information about TSET and the work they do can be found at https://oklahoma.gov/tset.html.