After a rigorous application process, Grovetown Elementary was among a select group of schools across the state to receive the grant, a first for the district.
The program provides school nutrition employees an opportunity to engage students in learning about healthy eating options beyond the nutritious meals served each day in the school’s café. Through the grant, a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetable samples are provided for students, at no cost. Each day, samples of the day’s selection of either fresh fruits or vegetables, are safely prepared by trained school nutrition staff. The samples are delivered to students in each classroom in the afternoon, outside of mealtime.
“Our goal with this program is to increase the number of fruits and vegetables that students eat, as well as educate them on healthy lifestyle choices while also expanding their culinary experiences,” said Dr. Dana Bing, Director of the Division of School Nutrition. “We are so excited to be able to provide such a unique initiative for the first time here in the Columbia County School District, and thanks to the efforts of our dedicated nutrition staff, we are looking forward to expanding this program to reach as many students as possible.”