Fresh fruit and vegetable snacks at Nicholson Elementary
Published 7:00 am Saturday, October 7, 2017
- FRESH SNACK: Students at Nicholson Elementary receive a snack of fresh mango during class Friday afternoon as part of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Photo by Jeremy Pittari
For the fourth year in a row, students at Nicholson Elementary are receiving fresh fruit and vegetables as an afternoon snack.
Picayune School District Food Service Director Debbie Byrd said that the school received $23,804 in state funding for the program. Last year all elementary schools within Picayune were approved for the program, but this year only Nicholson received the funding, Byrd said.
Statewide the program received $3.3 million in federal funding to provide to approved schools, according to information from the Mississippi Department of Education.
The program is one way to entice children to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Friday, the students received portions of mango.
Qualifying elementary schools for the program include those that participate in the national school lunch program, and have at least 50 percent of the student body receiving free or reduced meals, information from the MDE states.
Schools can apply for the program for next year.
