Schools providing fresh fruits, vegetables for students

The grant program, now in its second year at RES and its third year at WES, is made available through the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, which amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch to offer extra fruits and vegetables as a snack during the school day.

With child obesity rates being at their highest, Russellville City Schools Child Nutrition Director Elaine Vaughn hopes the FFVP will create a healthier school environment by exposing the children to fruits and vegetables they may not otherwise eat in the hopes they will learn to choose healthier snacks.

“When I first received notice from the state that there was going to be a federal grant allocating money for a healthy eating program, I applied because I knew it would benefit our students,” Vaughn said.

Grants were sparse during the first year of the program so Vaughn knew that Russellville being chosen as one of the schools to participate could be a long shot, but it paid off in the end.

“We ended up being one of only 25 schools in the state that was chosen that first year,” Vaughn said.

For the 2010-2011 school year, RES received $36,772.50 and WES received $37,842.93 from the grant for the fruits and vegetables that will be passed out in each classroom four days per week.

The program has gone over so well that Vaughn wants to continue it for as long as possible.

“The program was originally only supposed to last for three years for each participating school and then you couldn’t participate anymore, but they’ve changed it so that schools are able to re-apply,” Vaughn said. “We will keep applying because this is a good program for our elementary students and they seem to enjoy it.”

But the students aren’t the only ones who are enjoying the program.

“The principals and teachers all have been very complimentary of the program and feel it has been very beneficial for all the students,” Vaughn said. “It is something we’ve all been able to enjoy.”