USDA RECOGNIZES 9 Liberal Schools FOR OUTSTANDING NUTRITION ENVIRONMENT

USDA RECOGNIZES 9 Liberal Schools FOR OUTSTANDING NUTRITION ENVIRONMENT

Liberal Kansas . – USD 480 Schools, Garfield, Lincoln , McKinley, MacArthur, McDermott, Southlawn, Washington , Cottonwood and Sunflower have earned a prestigious Gold Award from USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services for meeting USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) school meal criteria. The award will be presented and celebrated at a district school assembly at Redskin field on September 21 at 10:30 am..

HUSSC awards are part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, and are given to schools that take specific steps to improve their programs and address childhood obesity. Schools must apply for the honor and are selected based on a rigorous set of criteria related to nutrition and physical activity. The Gold Award includes a monetary prize of $1,500.

“We applaud USD 480 and its staff for their commitment to making healthful food options available for students, and their commitment to nutrition education and physical activity,” said Darlene Sanchez, Director of Special Nutrition Programs for the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Mountain Plains Region.

The HUSSC is a voluntary initiative established in 2004 to recognize those schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity.

In February 2010, the First Lady introduced Let’s Move! , incorporating the HUSSC into her campaign to raise a healthier generation of kids. At that time, monetary incentive awards became available for each HUSSC award level: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Gold Award of Distinction.

Among the criteria that USD 480 had to meet in order to earn the award were: provide nutrition education to students

· provide students the opportunity for physical activity

· maintain an Average Daily Participation of school enrollment for reimbursable lunches of at least 60 percent for Silver awards

· adhere to guidelines established by FNS for foods served/sold in schools outside the National School Lunch Program