The merits of the new program, which began Aug. 24 with the start of the new school years, is the result of a $15,000 Ohio Board of Education grant.
Principal Melissa Theis said the feedback from both pupils and staff is that things are off to an excellent start.
Fifth-grader Rachel Taylor immediately recognized the benefits of the program.
“Sometimes we get tired and hungry at the end of the day, and the snack that we get helps us focus more on our work and makes us healthy,” she said.
“Even when I was a baby, my dad said I used to eat fruit like candy. So, this is a good thing for me. I was one of only a few people in my class who actually liked the cantaloupe on Monday.”
Theis said in-season food items are chosen for its freshness.
“We try to get products from local growers and are even planning a field trip to the farmer’s market,” she said.
As part of the program, children learn the differences between canned and fresh foods and how preservatives affect the body.
For someone like first-grader Romeo Rucker, the program extends the healthy foods he gets at home.
“I eat a lot of good fruits and vegetables with my grandma at home, like apples, oranges, pears, green beans, potatoes and greens,” he said.
“I think it will be good for kids to try a lot of new things this year that they might not know about. Like I don’t even know what a kiwi is, but I might find out,” said Rucker.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-9338 or kmcallister@DaytonDailyNews.com.
About the Author