The School Food Service Department, in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness, is proud to announce that nine more elementary schools throughout Palm Beach County have been awarded the United States Department of Agriculture’s HealthierUS School Challenge Award.
The schools newly added to the list are: Belle Glade Elementary (Silver), Del Prado Elementary (Bronze), Discovery Key Elementary (Bronze), Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary (Silver), Golden Grove Elementary (Silver), Jupiter Elementary (Silver), New Horizons Elementary (Silver), Pine Jog Elementary (Silver) and Sunset Palms Elementary (Bronze).
All of these schools have worked diligently to qualify for this award and make their school a healthier place to learn and achieve. These efforts contribute to the prevention of childhood obesity and will have a lifelong impact on the health and wellness of the lives of their students.
These schools will receive a HealthierUS School Challenge Award banner for display and will be presented with a plaque signed by United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
In addition to the banner and plaque, these schools will receive $500 for achieving bronze level and $1,000 for achieving silver level to spend on nutrition, wellness or garden-related items for their school.
The USDA established the program in 2004 to recognize schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have voluntarily created healthier school environments.
Allison Monbleau, director of the School Food Service, said that her team is focused on increasing the number of HUSSC-certified elementary schools within the district.
“We started with two schools in 2012 and are excited to have 63 schools currently certified as we work toward the goal of achieving HUSSC recognition for all elementary schools in Palm Beach County,” Monbleau said.
