• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Pennsylvania Schools, Local Education Agencies to Offer Fresh Fruits, Vegetables to Students Through Federal Program

Posted on: Wednesday, 2 August 2006, 21:00 CDT

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Students will receive healthier school meals and an expanded selection of more nutritional food through the federal Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). Twenty-five state schools and local education agencies have partnered with the federal program to encourage better eating practices for students across Pennsylvania.

"Numerous studies point to the fact that students who follow healthy, nourishing diets are more responsive during the school day, are inclined to be more physically and socially active in the academic setting and are more apt to perform better scholastically," said Education Secretary Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak. "Providing our students with greater access to healthier alternatives during the course of the school day is just another piece of the puzzle to furthering Pennsylvania's first-rate education system."

The FFVP was introduced under the federal Child Nutrition and WIC (Women, Infants, Children) Reauthorization Act of 2004. Participating schools provide free fresh fruits and vegetables outside of regular school-provided meal services. Through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, each state selects 25 schools to participate. The majority of those schools must have 50 percent or more of its student population that are eligible for free or reduced price meals.

Schools participating in the program must dedicate the majority of their funds to purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. A portion of the grants may be used for nutrition education. The purpose of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is to increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables students consume and expose students to fruits and vegetables they may have never tasted before.

Each school's grant amount will be determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The total amount that will be allocated to each school has not been determined yet, although each school that participated in the 2005-06 program received the equivalent to $82 per student to implement the program, totaling more than $1.2 million.

For more information about the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and the Department of Education, please visit http://www.pde.state.pa.us/.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Schools and Local Education Agencies that have been selected for the FFVP are listed below.

* Dayton Elementary, Armstrong School District * Bucks County Youth Center * Cambria Heights Middle School, Cambria Heights School District * Conrad Weiser West Elementary School, Conrad Weiser Area School District * Holy Rosary School, Lackawanna County * Graystone Academy Charter School, Chester County * Marshall Elementary School, Harrisburg School District * Elmwood Elementary School, Mechanicsburg Area School District * Lathrop Street Elementary School, Montrose Area School District * Muhlenberg Elementary School, Muhlenberg School District * Maple Point Middle School, Neshaminy School District * Clark Wood Elementary/Elkland Area Jr./Sr. High School, Northern Tioga School District * Osceola Mills Elementary, Philipsburg-Osceola School District * Philipsburg-Osceola Senior High School, Philipsburg-Osceola School District * Pine Grove Area Elementary School, Pine Grove Area School District * Fulton Academy of Science, Pittsburgh City School District * Edgewood Elementary School, Pottstown School District * Salisbury-Elk Lick High School, Salisbury-Elk Lick School District * Mapletown High School, Southeastern Greene School District * Boalsburg/Panorama Village Elementary School, State College Area School District * Rimersburg Elementary, Union School District * Cochran Elementary School, Williamsport Area School District * Sheridan Elementary School, Williamsport Area School District * New Albany Elementary School, Wyalusing Area School District * State Street Elementary, Wyoming Valley West School District CONTACT: Brian McDonald (717) 783-9802

Pennsylvania Department of Education

CONTACT: Brian McDonald, Pennsylvania Department of Education,+1-717-783-9802

Web site: http://www.pde.state.pa.us/

Source: PRNewswire

More News in this Category