Agriculture in the Classroom

Teaching "an apple a day...." still counts in the classroom.

After asking my girlfriend how her day was at work the other day, I learned about an agricultural initiative focusing on children and grade schools. As a public health nurse she works closely with school district #61 here in Victoria. Within the schools, part of her role is to promote a healthy school environment and healthy student lifestyle. A way for her to achieve these goals is to connect the schools with applicable community initiatives and programs.

She explained a particular initiative she explained to me called 'The BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Program'. Using only BC grown fruit and vegetable produce, schools connected with the program are delivered 1 serving of produce per student and school staff member twice a month. The benefits of a program such as this affects many in the school community and agricultural throughout BC.

Children at a young age have the opportunity to learn about healthy nutrition which encourages a healthy community and lifelong values for this generation. School staff have the opportunity to participate and be role models for students by eating healthy fruit and vegetables with the children in the classroom. This healthy nutrition awareness in the classroom can then be taken from the classroom back home with the students to thier families to further promote healthy lifestyle choices in the home, hopefully putting pressure on their parents to start purchasing locally as well. It teaches these students and their families about local produce that they have access to, and that they can choose it over foreign produce.

Local BC farmers promote consumption of their fruit and vegetables through the initiative, which in turn boosts BC economy. Green house gasses and emissions are reduced as less transportation of the products is needed. Partnerships created in this initiative are through the Overwaitea Food Group; Dynamex Couriers; the BC Ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture and Lands; Community Nutritionist of BC; Act Now BC; and various BC farms and produce suppliers who encourage community development and sustainability.

I think this a great program and really capatilizes on social capital. It is effective because it is starting at the bottom, with the kids....What will your resonse be when your son asks why you don't purchase local produce?

Check it out at http://www.aitc.ca/bc/programs/snack-program/program-information.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, a local apple a day keeps the recession away.