USDA fresh fruit and veggie program benefits PES students

Students at Piggott Elementary School enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables thanks to the grant program through the USDA. Pictured are, from left--Jimmie Sanders, Kaylee Price, Hayden Harris, Caleb Riddle and Emily Crouch. All the students are fourth graders at PES. (photo provided) [Click to enlarge]

Throughout the just-completed school year, students at Piggott Elementary have enjoyed the benefits of a "Fresh Fruit and Vegetable" grant awarded by the Child Nutrition Department of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"The goal of this program is to provide healthier food choices, expand the variety of fruits and vegetables and increase consumption," district food service director Janice Beck noted. "We want to make a difference in children's diets that will impact their present and future health."

Beck said the program introduced school children to a variety of produce they otherwise might not have had the opportunity to sample. The program also encourages community partnerships to support the school in the giving of fruit and vegetables to the children during the course of the day.

"We had several partners that helped to make this year's a program a success," Beck added. "Country Mart and produce manager Joe Ballard were a big help in getting and storing produce for the program."

Beck also noted that Angela Howell of the Piggott Eye Clinic visited the school and presented a program on the value of proper nutrition as it relates to visual health, while Piggott Community Hospital's Shelly Luttrell, Diane Walker and Denise Townsend helped with the health fair.

The effort also received support from members of the staff of Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center, who incorporated nutrition lessons into creative writing lessons and used fresh fruits and vegetables in the creation of poetry and short stories.

"Piggott Parks and Recreation also got behind the effort, sponsoring a coloring contest and special event programs," Beck added. "And I'd like to offer our thanks to Shannon Williams." She also noted that Piggott State Bank provided prizes for the monthly menu trivia questions and vegetable seed packets for every elementary student to take home and plant.

"We also received letters of support from Clay County Relay For Life chair Susan Bowman and from Lisa Mikel at Region's Bank," she added. "Thanks also to The Piggott Times for publicizing the program to the community."

Beck also added the FFAV program could not have been a success without all the support from the cafeteria staff, teachers, administration, office staff, volunteers and, most importantly, the children that participated.

"We have applied for the grant again this year and hope we will receive it so we can continue to get children to consume more and different types of fresh fruits and vegetables," she added.