Lysol® Teams Up With Legendary Athlete Jerry Rice To Coach Students Nationwide On The Importance Of Healthy Habits For A Strong Start To The New School Year

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- When children practice healthy habits – such as washing their hands to help prevent the spread of germs, eating nutritious foods and getting regular physical activity – there are obvious positive outcomes. They are less likely to get sick, which means fewer days of school missed and thus more time spent in the classroom to focus on learning. However, practicing healthy habits can also pay off in unexpected ways: better grades, better attention span and more success in the classroom and in extracurricular activities. 

That's why this back to school season, Lysol®, an RB brand, is enlisting Jerry Rice, former professional football player and three-time champion, to be America's first-ever Healthy Habits Coach. Rice will bring the same focus and determination he's so well-known for on the football field to coaching healthy habits among students across the country. "It is important for me to give back by helping today's youth understand their true potential so that they can overcome any challenges that come their way," said Rice. "I am excited to be the Lysol Healthy Habits Coach so I can help teach kids the importance of developing a healthy foundation to help set them up for success and happiness in school, on the field and beyond."

Coach Rice's first job will be to make a special visit to Scarborough High School in Houston, TX to show how the combination of a little professional coaching and a strong, healthy foundation can help make all the difference between winning and wanting for the Scarborough Spartans football team, who has carried a losing record since 2009. Using his Healthy Habits Playbook – a special "training protocol" for kids about hygiene and illness prevention, nutrition and exercise – and his expertise on the game, Rice will empower the team with an outside-the-box approach to training with the goal of improving their performance on and off the field during the 2014 back to school season and beyond. While he's there, he will also share his tips for healthy success to all of Scarborough High's students and nearby elementary school children.

"We're ready for this 'losingest' streak to end and we're excited about the positive changes that a healthy habits foundation can have on our team and our entire student body," said Dr. Diego Linares, principal of Scarborough High School. "With the legendary Jerry Rice as our football team's honorary Healthy Habits Coach, we're looking forward to embracing a new training regime that will have positive end benefits for our students whether it's an improvement in the numbers on the scoreboard or on illness-related attendance."

From there, Coach Rice will share his playbook with students across the country as part of the Healthy Habits program. Now in its second year, the Healthy Habits program was developed by Lysol in collaboration with the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and National Education Association (NEA) to help children establish a foundation of healthy habits and set them up for success inside and outside of the classroom. The cornerstone of the program is the Lysol Healthy Habits Bus, which is an interactive science museum on wheels that travels to schools across the U.S., educating elementary students about germs and proper hygiene.  

"As children of all ages head back to school, healthy habits are more essential than ever to help keep them  healthy and set them up to achieve their potential," said Conor O'Brien, marketing director, Lysol. "As part of the Lysol mission, we are committed to providing resources and products that can help keep homes and schools clean and healthy."

Schools and families across the country can join the movement by celebrating the second annual Healthy Habits Week, which kicks off on September 22, 2014. During this week, Lysol, PTA and NEA encourage teachers, parents and students to dedicate time to learning about and practicing healthy habits,  and have made available engaging education materials, such as lesson plans, posters and literature, and activity guides that can be downloaded online at Lysol.com/HealthyHabits. For further information on keeping your family healthy, please also visit the Global Hygiene Council at www.hygienecouncil.com.  

About RB

RB (formerly called Reckitt Benckiser) is the world's leading consumer health and hygiene company. The company has operations in over 60 countries, with headquarters in the UK, Singapore, Dubai and Amsterdam, and sales in almost 200 countries. The company employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide.

With a purpose of delivering innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes, RB is in the top 20 of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Today it is the global No. 1 or No. 2 in the majority of its fast-growing categories, driven by an exceptional rate of innovation. Its health, hygiene and home portfolio is led by 19 global Powerbrands including Mucinex, Durex, Scholl, Lysol, MegaRed, Veet, Finish, Air Wick, French's, Nurofen, Strepsils, Gaviscon, Dettol, Harpic, Bang, Veja, Mortein, Vanish and Calgon. At the start of 2014 RB had 43% of its core revenues coming from its 2 emerging market areas and 57% from its developed market area; 72% of core revenues came from the health and hygiene categories of the portfolio.

Fuelled by a new breed of talent who blend intellectual curiosity with commitment to the highest quality standards, RB is set to redefine the world of consumer health and hygiene. RB people and its culture are at the heart of the company's success.

For more information visit www.rb.com.

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SOURCE LYSOL