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.
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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