Monday, May 17, 2010

Department Awards 78 Schools with Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grants

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna announced today that 78 Idaho elementary schools have received Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program grants to fund healthy and nutritious snacks throughout the school day.

“The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is a great way for Idaho schools to promote healthy eating habits among students by providing nutritious snacks throughout the day, instead of just during breakfast and lunch,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna said.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is part of an initiative by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to offer schools a wider variety of fresh produce than would be available through normal USDA programs, such as the National School Lunch Program.  The goal is to create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices, expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience, increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption and making a difference in children’s diets to impact their present and future health.

The 78 Idaho schools awarded grants this year will use the funding to provide students with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options.  Schools receive reimbursement for providing the fresh fruits and vegetables to students throughout the school day, but the fresh fruits and vegetables must be provided at a different time than the school lunch or breakfast programs.

Through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, many schools offer mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks to students.  The healthy snacks are delivered to the classroom, passed out in the cafeteria or distributed in hallways.  Students may be given the opportunity to try exotic fruits and vegetables such as kiwi, jicama, rambutan and dragon fruit.  Students may also get to try fruits and vegetables that they may recognize, but in a different form.  For example, many children have not eaten fresh peaches or fresh green beans. Teachers often use these opportunities to incorporate lessons about healthy eating, geography and writing about their experiences into the curriculum.

Schools were awarded the grants through a competitive application process.  The grant funding for these schools will begin July 1, 2010 and last until June 30, 2011.  See below for a complete list of schools that received grants.

Learn more about Child Nutrition Programs at the Idaho State Department of Education.

The following is a list of schools that were awarded the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program grant:

The Intermediate School 4-5    American Falls S.D.       $10,893.40      
Hillcrest Elementary School    American Falls S.D.       $21,987.60      
Woodside Elementary School     Blaine Co. S.D.     $18,624.20      
Whittier Elementary School    Boise S. D.       $18,724.60      
Whitney Elementary School    Boise S. D.       $21,736.60      
William Howard Taft Elementary School    Boise S. D.       $18,825.00      
Jefferson Elementary School    Boise S. D.       $15,612.20      
Koelsch Elementary School    Boise S. D.       $17,570.00      
Morley Nelson Elementary School    Boise S. D.       $26,455.40      
Bridgewater Elementary School    Bonneville Jt. S.D.       $23,443.40      
Cloverdale Elementary School    Bonneville Jt. S.D.       $28,965.40      
Valley View Elementary School    Boundary County S.D.       $24,045.80      
Mount Hall Elementary School    Boundary County S.D.       $4,919.60      
Bruneau Elementary School    Bruneau-Grand View Jt SD     $3,162.60      
Grand View Elementary School    Bruneau-Grand View Jt SD     $7,981.80      
Sacajawea Elementary School    Caldwell S.D.       $25,300.80      
Van Buren Elementary School    Caldwell S.D.       $31,174.20      
Washington Elementary School    Caldwell S.D.       $28,513.60      
Lincoln Elementary School    Caldwell S.D.       $20,933.40      
Cambridge Elementary School    Cambridge S.D.    $3,313.20      
Almo Elementary School    Cassia County Jt. S.D.       $451.80      
Mountain View Elementary School    Cassia County Jt. S.D.       $25,351.00      
Dworshak Elementary School    Cassia County Jt. S.D.       $30,069.80      
Raft River Elementary School    Cassia County Jt. S.D.       $10,893.40      
Albion Elementary School    Cassia County Jt. S.D.       $1,455.80      
Borah Elementary School    Coeur D'Alene S.D.       $18,674.40      
Bryan Elementary School    Coeur D'Alene S.D.       $20,682.40      
Coeur D'Alene Tribal School    Coeur D'Alene Tribal School     $4,016.00      
Council Elementary School    Council S.D.     $5,622.40      
Butte View Elementary School    Emmett S.D.       $27,108.00      
A W Johnson Elementary School    Firth S.D.       $14,859.20      
Glenns Ferry Elementary School    Glenns Ferry S.D.       $10,090.20      
Gooding Elementary School    Gooding Joint S.D.     $30,170.20      
Hagerman Elementary School    Hagerman S.D.       $10,291.00      
Dora Erickson Elementary School    Idaho Falls S.D.       $23,493.60      
A H Bush Elementary School    Idaho Falls S.D.       $24,146.20      
Hawthorne Elementary School    Idaho Falls S.D.       $18,674.40      
Roberts Elementary School    Jefferson Jt. S.D.       $8,132.40      
Harwood Elementary School    Jefferson Jt. S.D.       $19,778.80      
Horizon Elementary School    Jerome S.D.       $34,035.60      
Summit Elementary School    Jerome S.D.       $27,810.80      
Jefferson Elementary School    Jerome S.D.       $26,154.20      
Kamiah Elementary School    Kamiah Jt. S.D.       $10,542.00      
Sunnyside Elementary School    Kellogg Joint S.D.     $12,801.00      
Hope Elementary School    Lake Pend Oreille S.D.    $5,271.00      
Northside Elementary School    Lake Pend Oreille S.D.    $5,873.40      
John Brown Elementary School    Lakeland S.D.       $22,841.00      
Lapwai Elementary School     Lapwai S.D.       $16,867.20      
McGhee Elementary School    Lewiston S.D.    $15,662.40      
Downey Elementary School    Marsh Valley S.D.     $5,170.60      
Marsing Elementary School    Marsing Jt. S.D.       $21,736.60      
Meridian Elementary School    Meridian S.D.    $25,652.20      
Rupert Elementary School    Minidoka County S.D.       $28,212.40      
West Minico M.S.    Minidoka County S.D.       $6,676.60      
West Park Elementary School    Moscow S.D.     $9,889.40      
Central Elementary School    Nampa S.D.       $18,674.40      
Endeavor Elementary School    Nampa S.D.       $26,756.60      
Centennial Elementary School    Nampa S.D.       $26,505.60      
Notus Elementary School    Notus S.D.     $9,889.40      
Timberline Elementary School    Orofino Jt. S.D.       $5,572.20      
Maxine Johnson Elementary School    Parma S.D.       $21,234.60      
Parma M.S. - West Wing    Parma S.D.       $8,333.20      
Westside Elementary School    Payette S.D.       $12,349.20      
Payette Primary School    Payette S.D.       $27,610.00      
Lakeside Elementary School    Plummer-Worley Jt. S.D.       $12,198.60      
Seltice Elementary School    Post Falls S.D.     $18,825.00      
Mullan Trail Elementary School    Post Falls S.D.     $18,724.60      
Riggins Elementary School    Salmon River S.D.     $4,016.00      
Salmon Pioneer Elementary School    Salmon S.D.     $14,608.20      
Shoshone Elementary School    Shoshone S.D.    $15,662.40      
Leadore School    South Lemhi S.D.       $2,610.40      
Harrison Elementary School    Twin Falls S.D.       $25,351.00      
Oregon Trail Elementary School    Twin Falls S.D.       $28,112.00      
Lincoln Elementary School    Twin Falls S.D.       $22,841.00      
Pioneer Elementary School    Weiser S.D.     $24,497.60      
Idaho Hill Elementary School    West Bonner County S.D.     $8,082.20      
Terreton Elementary School    West Jefferson S.D.     $15,612.20      
Holmes Elementary School    Wilder S.D.       $10,592.20   

~ Melissa M.

1 comment:

  1. It sounds like a great program! Introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as a viable snack option at an early age is important to helping children develop good eating habits later. What a wonderful message to give that the schools actually care about the children's health! A big thumbs up!

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