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Making healthy choices in local schools


By JOHN D. WALLER

Bennington Banner (Vermont)


November 17, 2008


BENNINGTON - A federal grant worth nearly $25,000 is introducing local elementary school students to different types of fruits and vegetables.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides students at Bennington Elementary School with a healthy snack once a week. Carol Adinolfi, the program's director, said it is about teaching students through their senses.

"Rather than being told, students are experiencing it for themselves," she said Wednesday. " ... It's about exposing them to fruits and vegetables they've never had. Recently, we had a pear tasting, which started getting students thinking about the enjoyment of food, the delectability."

On Wednesday, Adinolfi - with helper Mary Gerisch, served third graders slices of organic bosc pears, Vermont cheddar cheese and whole wheat cinnamon crepes with peanut butter, honey maple filling. "We aspire to be organic and as local as possible," she said.

The program, which began in 1995, is in its first year at Bennington Elementary. Twenty-five schools in Vermont - only one in Bennington - received the $23,850 grant this year through the state's Department of Education. Schools had to have a free and reduced lunch (low-income) student population of at least 60 percent to qualify for the grant.

Assistant Principal Donna Cauley said the program has been popular with students.

Each day, a different grade visits the food cart at 10 a.m., receives a brief lesson from Adinolfi and takes a snack back to class. Cauley said students have been open-minded to new and unfamiliar foods. "Every kid takes a sample," she said. "Even if they don't think they'll like it, they try it."

She said the Abbey Group, the school's food service provider, has helped with the program.

Cauley, who applied for the grant, turned to Adinolfi to run the program because of her success directing the school's after-school cooking program, Blooming Chefs. Adinolfi works through Quantum Leap, an organization based at Bennington College dedicated to helping at-risk kids in the area. Blooming Chefs is in its second year at the school.

Cauley said she is planning to apply for the grant again next year.

Contact John D. Waller at jwaller@benningtonbanner.com



November 2008 News