Sharon Elementary Wins Feed My School Award

The September 20th  kick-off to the Feed My School program at Sharon Elementary was a spectacular success!  The student body dressed like farmers and learned all about the importance of supporting local businesses by selecting and eating Georgia grown produce. All 900 students were able to participate in learning stations featuring locally grown products.  The students learned about the processes involved in bringing food they enjoy every day from the farm to their table.  They churned butter, heard egg farmers discuss bringing eggs from farm to table, learned about hydroponic gardening, and were told about the importance of the honeybee.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our local businesses and community members including Circle A Lettuce, Great Harvest Bread, Butter Sensations, United Egg Producers, and the Forsyth County Beekeepers Club,” stated Amy Bartlett, Principal of Sharon Elementary.  Thanks to the efforts of our School Nutrition staff, we are honored to have been selected by the Georgia Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture to participate in this year long program

Sharon Elementary has been selected as one of five elementary schools in Georgia chosen to participate in the Georgia Grown, Feed My School (FMS) for a Week program. Sharon will host a feature event every month, with different locally grown products being showcased throughout the school year.

Monthly taste tests of Georgia grown food will take place in the cafeteria. Sharon will provide at least 75 percent Georgia grown food on every cafeteria plate during the week of April 25th, 2014!  Sharon Elementary will host a Farmer’s Market on April 25th from 2-6pm.  For more information, or to sign up to have a booth, please contact sharonsciencelab@gmail.com.

The GDA states the program’s mission as: “The Feed My School initiative increases the nutritional value and quality of food in Georgia schools and bridges the communication gaps from the farm to the cafeteria, resulting in healthier Georgia children. As the mission continues to expand and reach every school across the state, there will be decreased barriers in the farm to school efforts and increased awareness as students learn and experience, both educationally and nutritionally, where their food comes from”.