7th Annual Hood Milk Sportsmanship Scholarship Launches

LYNNFIELD, Mass., Dec. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- HP Hood announces the opening of the 2016 Hood Milk Sportsmanship Scholarship program and their partnership with Aly Raisman, World Champion gymnast and Needham, MA resident.  The program celebrates student athletes who demonstrate integrity and sportsmanship on and off the field.  Three high school seniors from each of the six New England states – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont – will be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship for a total of $90,000.   

With over $500,000 being awarded since 2009, The Hood Milk Sportsmanship Scholarship program has become one of the largest scholarships in New England.  New for 2016, Hood is partnering with World Champion gymnast and team captain, Aly Raisman, to help further the program's mission.

"I grew up drinking Hood Milk and am thrilled to be partnering with them to help get the word out about their Sportsmanship Scholarship program," said Aly Raisman. "Giving back to the community and displaying good sportsmanship is very important to me. While I always strive to win, I want to make sure I compete with integrity and respect, no matter the outcome. Sportsmanship is such an influential component to being an athlete and at the end of the day I want to be remembered for being a good person and teammate, not just an Olympic gymnast. Promoting the importance of good sportsmanship is close to my heart and I encourage all eligible New England high school seniors to enter."

Celebrating not only strong academics, Hood aims to recognize the importance of good sportsmanship. Each scholarship recipient will be inducted and showcased in the Hood Sportsmanship Exhibit at the TD Garden in Boston, which highlights real-life examples of how professional athletes have been able to excel while still maintaining a high degree of sportsmanship.

"Aly was a natural fit to join the Scholarship program," said Lynne Bohan, Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs at Hood. "She's more than a gold medalist, more than a World Champion gymnast, she's a true New Englander. She demonstrates every ideal the scholarship program holds: integrity, respect, sportsmanship and drive."

The program is officially open to all eligible high school seniors in the six New England states. To be eligible, high school seniors must have displayed a high degree of sportsmanship while participating in a varsity sport. These students also must have earned a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher and performed volunteer work in the community.  Entries will be accepted online at Hood.com now through March 11^th, 2016.   For more information on how to apply, rules and regulations, please visit Hood.com.

About Hood:
Founded in 1846, today Hood is one of the largest branded dairy operators in the United States. Hood is the number-one dairy brand in New England, and Hood's portfolio of national and super-regional brands and franchise products includes Hood, Crowley®,  Simply Smart® Milk, Heluva Good!®, LACTAID®, BAILEYS® Coffee Creamers, HERSHEY'S Milk and Milkshakes and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze® Almondmilks. For more information about Hood, please visit Hood.com.

About Aly Raisman:
Aly Raisman, who is represented by Octagon, captained the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team to its first team gold medal since the 1996 Olympic Games. The most decorated American gymnast at the 2012 London Olympics, Raisman's gold medal floor routine is widely regarded as the greatest women's Olympic floor routine in history. A 10-time U.S. National Championship medalist, Raisman has her sights set on becoming the most decorated American gold medal gymnast at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The oldest of four siblings, Raisman is passionate about giving back and sharing her message of being confident in your own skin.

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SOURCE HP Hood