PDE Awards Farm To School Grants To 30 Pennsylvania Schools

Harrisburg, PA /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ - Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera today announced the awarding of Farm to School grants to schools across the state, which will provide students with access to fresh, healthy food sourced locally. Through the program, 30 awardees received grants of up to $1,000 to implement farm to school activities.

"Promoting healthy eating habits and providing access to fresh, local foods to students will not only benefit students, but farms as well," said Sec. Rivera. "The Farm to School Grant Program will enable the students of the commonwealth to start practicing good nutrition in youth, encouraging them to grow up to be adults who shop locally and health-consciously."

The Farm to School Grant Program allows schools to offer local product taste-testing, farm-related field trips, school garden activities, and the inclusion of local products in school meals. Funding is provided by PDE's Division of Food and Nutrition.

Grant recipients included:

• Highland Elementary School, Abington School District
• Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Bethel Park School District
• Davis Elementary/Middle School, Centennial School District
• Charleroi Area Middle School, Charleroi Area School District
• Plymouth Whitemarsh High School and Colonial Middle School, Colonial School District
• Parks Elementary School, Columbia Borough School District
• St. Luke School, Diocese of Erie
• Annunciation B.V.M. Catholic School, Diocese of Harrisburg
• St. Bernard School, Diocese of Pittsburgh
• Bushkill Elementary School, East Stroudsburg Area School District
• Fell Charter School
• Global Leadership Academy Charter School–West
• Huntingdon Area High School, Huntingdon Area School District
• Lackawanna Trail Junior/Senior High School, Lackawanna Trail School District
• Richard J. Hyde Elementary School, Moon Area School District
• North Clarion Elementary School, North Clarion County School District
• Northwestern Elementary School, Northwestern School District
• South Middle School and M.M. Seylor Elementary School, Pennridge School District
• J.R. Masterman School, The School District of Philadelphia
• Robert Ketterer Charter School, Adelpoi Education Center
• Roberto Clemente Charter School and Roberto Clemente Elementary Charter School
• Wharton Elementary School and Lafayette Elementary School, School District of Lancaster
• Sharpsville Area High School, Sharpsville Area School District
• Smethport Area High School, Smethport Area School District
• Edison High School, The School District of Philadelphia
• Bartram High School and Tilden Middle School, The School District of Philadelphia.
• W.R. Croman Primary School, Troy Area School District
• York Suburban Middle School, York Suburban School District
• H.W. Good Elementary School, Yough School District

Last week, PDE Executive Deputy Secretary David Volkman and Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding witnessed Farm to School in action at York Suburban Middle School as students sampled produce that the school district sourced from Flinchbaugh's Orchard, Millers Plant Farm, and Brogue Hydroponics.

The 2015 USDA Farm to School Census shows that 44 percent of surveyed Pennsylvania school districts participate in farm to school activities, and that there are more than 130 school gardens growing in Pennsylvania.

For more information about the Farm to School grants and recipients, visit www.projectPA.org.