The Indiana
Department of Education (IDOE) named the Technology Academy at Pettit Park
Elementary School the 2017 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program School of the
Year. Pettit Park is the second Indiana school to receive this award since it
began in the 2015-2016 school year.
According
to the IDOE, this award recognizes schools that provide outstanding service to
students through regular access to fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as
nutrition education. Pettit Park received a banner and a framed certificate
from the Indiana Department of Education during a presentation at the school on
May 24th. Pettit Park also received a monetary award to purchase
nutrition education and promotional materials.
IDOE School
Nutrition Specialist Suzette Hartmann commended Pettit Park for its outstanding
efforts to promote healthy eating habits through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
Program.
“It is nice
to see that at Pettit Park, the teachers and food service staff are working
together to make this Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program a success,” Mrs.
Hartmann explained. “Their efforts keep students focused and ready to learn.”
Pettit Park
is among 127 Indiana elementary schools that received the Fresh Fruit and
Vegetable grant from the IDOE in the 2016-2017 school year. The goal of the
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is to improve children’s overall diet and create
healthier eating habits by providing healthier food choices, expanding the
variety of fruits and vegetables children experience, and increasing children’s
fruit and vegetable consumption.
Elementary
schools participating in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program receive between
$50 and $75 per student for the school year. With these funds, schools purchase
additional fresh fruits and vegetables to serve free to students during the
school day.
Schools in
the program have the flexibility to develop their own implementation plan,
choose the type of produce, number of days a week, and times during the day to
provide free fresh fruits and vegetables to students, though the produce must
be served outside of the normal time frames for the National School Lunch and
School Breakfast Program.
At Pettit
Park, teacher Heather McAninch and food service staff member Connie Chapman
work together to implement the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Mrs. McAninch
noted that in Indiana it is not typical for teachers to assist with the
implementation, but she and Mrs. Chapman are passionate about the program. She
believes that is why the Pettit Park Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program stood
out to the IDOE.
“We really
enjoy introducing our Pettit Park students to healthy food choices,” Mrs.
McAninch said. “And the students have come to look forward to the diverse
fruits and vegetables we serve them.”
Pettit Park
students have tried everything from dragon fruit to cactus. The students
especially love sweet red peppers, sliced beets, sweet potatoes, and all
varieties of apples and oranges.
Mrs.
McAninch and Mrs. Chapman focus on fruits and vegetables that are in season to
make their grant dollars go further, so the students have fresh fruits or
vegetables daily.
“Some
schools offer the fruits and vegetables two or three days a week, but we felt
it was important to provide our students a fresh fruit or vegetable snack every
day,” Mrs. McAninch added.
Pettit Park
Principal Kelly Wright felt honored that Pettit Park was selected for the IDOE
award, but she is not surprised.
“This
program has been a passion of ours at Pettit Park,” Mrs. Wright explained.
“Mrs. McAninch and Mrs. Chapman have dedicated a great deal of time to developing
a successful program. Our teachers are on board and help expose our students to
a variety of healthy options, while they also incorporate nutrition education
into their classrooms.”