District 33 Schools Awarded the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Grant

West Chicago Middle School and Turner Elementary School in West Chicago Elementary School District 33 have been selected by the Illinois State Board of Education to participate in a fully funded Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program (FFVP) for the 2012-2013 school year.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education the purpose of this program is to increase fresh fruit and vegetable consumption in school children; exposing them to a wide variety of new and different fruits and vegetables; and encouraging lifelong healthy eating habits.

“Thanks to these federal funds, more children will have access to a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables during the school day as well as lesson plans that underscore their importance,” said Illinois State Board of Education Chairman Gery J. Chico. “Improved access means it's more likely that children will make smart choices that fuel their brains and bodies. It's another tool as we try to reverse the tide of childhood obesity.”

Fresh fruit and vegetables will be delivered to the schools 2 – 3 times per week starting the first week of school and continuing for the entire school year. District 33 will work with Aramark, the district's food service, to have fruit divided by classroom and cut into individual portions if necessary.

This is the fourth year that Turner Elementary School will be participating in the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program. In years past, the school has hosted Fruit and Vegetable Fairs for the students and has provided fresh fruits and vegetables for the entire school during the week of the annual Field Days through funds provided by the grant.

For more information please visit http://www.isbe.net/nutrition/htmls/ffv_program.htm.