Serving multiple, nutritious meals throughout the school day and keeping kids active in the classroom are two goals for staff at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School. A $3475 Fuel Up to Play 60 grant provided by the New England Dairy & Food Council will fund new kitchen and fitness equipment.
Funding will cover a new glass sliding door merchandiser used during breakfast and lunch to expand dairy options and increase milk sales. Old Colony will be able to offer healthy, pre-packaged meals in all lunch-lines with the addition of the new merchandiser.
“The support of Fuel Up to Play 60 has made a huge impact on the health of our students. More students are choosing school meals because of the expansion of options and faster lines. Smoothie sales have tripled with the new merchandiser,” proclaimed Crystal Andrade, Cafeteria Manager at Old Colony.
“Since sixty percent of kids ages four to eighteen years nationwide aren’t consuming the recommended daily amounts of dairy, getting kids excited about healthful eating early on is key.”
The funding will also be used to implement and expand the school’s newly adopted wellness policy. The Old Colony Wellness Committee recognizes the importance of physical activity breaks in the classroom. Funds will support mobile fitness equipment that can be moved from classroom to classroom. The Committee wholeheartedly believes this innovative practice will keep kids active and more engaged throughout the school day. New equipment used during the fitness breaks will include stability balls, kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls and more.
Old Colony advisors believe the addition of more physical activity throughout the day will support positive attitudes, an increased interest in wellness, an overall healthier environment, and will help to instill leadership and teamwork.
Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School is a member of the National School Lunch Program. Twenty to twenty-nine percent of their students are eligible for free/reduced price school lunch.