Chicago, IL (PRWEB) December 19, 2011
The National Farm to School Network, a nationally recognized organization that connects schools to local farms to provide access to healthy food in the cafeteria, and Annie’s Root 4 Kids™, a program dedicated to inspiring families to eat more real food, are thrilled to announce the winners of the first National Farm to School Month Poster Contest. More than 700 students in three age groups competed to win $1,000 toward a Farm to School project and an Annie’s Root 4 Kids prize pack valued at $150.
The winners are: 5th-grader Caroline Roeder of Greenfield Elementary in Fairfield, Mont., who submitted a crayon drawing of people and animals celebrating Farm to School; 8th-grader Miya McLaughlin of Stanwood Middle School in Stanwood, Wash., whose colorful picture shows students having fun on a farm-to-market truck; and 11th-grader Phynesse Graham of Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington, Del., who submitted a digital illustration of Farm to School bringing color to the cafeteria experience.
Greenfield Elementary – with its student population of around 60 – has had a Farm to School program since 2006, and despite Montana’s short growing season, they manage to source much of their food locally.
“Everything we can get locally, we do,” said Sally Young, Greenfield Elementary food service director. “The children come in and help me process things, learning about food safety and cooking while they work. When kids come in and help prepare the food, they want to eat it, even Brussels sprouts!”
Young says the school plans to use the prize money for a community-wide Farm to School celebration and potentially an additional freezer, which would come in handy for storing the spring harvest and local beef well into the next year.
The poster contest was held to commemorate the inaugural National Farm to School Month in October. Honored for best demonstrating the theme “Celebrate Farm to School!”, the winning posters will be used to promote next year’s celebration. In November 2010, Congress approved a resolution officially designating October as National Farm to School Month. Hundreds of schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia celebrated Farm to School Month by featuring local food in their cafeteria, holding special taste-tests of featured local items and inviting farmers and chefs into classrooms.
With the help of partners like Annie’s Root 4 Kids, the National Farm to School Network is working to make Farm to School programs an essential component of strong and just local and regional food systems, ensuring the health of all school children, farms, the environment, local economies and communities.
About Farm to School
Farm to School is broadly defined as a program that connects schools (K-12) and local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing agriculture, health and nutrition education opportunities, and supporting local and regional farmers. The National Farm to School Network supports the implementation of Farm to School by offering training and technical assistance, information services, networking, and support in policy, media and marketing, and research activities.
About Annie’s Root 4 Kids™
Annie’s (http://www.Annies.com), maker of natural and organic foods made with the highest quality ingredients, launched Root 4 Kids in partnership with the National Farm to School Network (http://www.FarmToSchool.org) to inspire kids to dig and plant new veggies. Caring adults sign up to “Root 4 Kids” at http://www.Root4Kids.com/Join and commit to helping at least one child in their life dig or plant a new veggie. Root 4 Kids brings to life Annie’s wish to nurture kids by inspiring families to eat more real food together.
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