DC Schools Serve Up Fresh Food Events
November 1, 2010
 On the menu last week at Savoy Elementary: nutritious food from the farm and a visit from a White House celebrity.
White House Chef Sam Kass paid a visit to the Southeast school Oct. 12 to kick-off D.C. Farm to School & School Garden Week, an event intended to introduce students throughout DCPS to healthy, locally grown foods and promote healthy lifestyles.
“Many kids get over half of their daily calories from the foods they eat in school,” Kass noted. “Parents are working hard to feed their kids healthy food, so we must ensure that meals children receive in schools support their health and get them ready to learn.”
The event included a four-way battling chef competition, a taste test of local apples and a school garden/planting dedication ceremony.
During the week, school food service providers throughout the district spotlighted local, seasonal produce on their menus, schools held farm field trips to give students the opportunity to pick fresh produce, and chefs prepared meals for the students with food collected during the field trip or featuring seasonal ingredients.
Kass said food service professionals are working hard to feed the nation’s children healthy delicious meals but, as a nation, we need to increase the amount of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that are served at home and in our schools. Events such as Farm to School Week are intended to promote healthy habits now and for life.
“The effort to educate students about the foods that they’re eating is imperative to ensure that these habits become a foundation for the rest of their lives,” Kass said. “The D.C. Public School district is setting a great example by initiating the D.C. Farm to School & School Garden week and I, along with the first lady, are so appreciative of their efforts.”
At the end of the week, two DC Public Schools – Kelly Miller Middle and River Terrace Elementary – were recognized by the USDA as US Healthier Schools as part of the US Healthier School Challenge, a voluntary initiative established in 2004 to recognize those schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity, according to the USDA. Kelly Miller received a silver medal and River Terrace got the gold.
In February 2010, first lady Michelle Obama introduced Let’s Move!, an initiative that seeks to raise a healthier generation of kids. At that time, monetary incentive awards became available for each Healthier US School Challenge award level: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Gold Award of Distinction.
Schools may submit applications for the Healthier US School Challenge by mail or online. A simplified district application process is available if there are 10 or more schools applying from one school district.
The USDA has awarded honors to 875 schools in 38 states and is committed to reaching 1,250 schools by June 2011.
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