Altoona Area School District Receives Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Tracks Grant

Milt Miller, Altoona Area School District, and Vanessa Weaver, Metz & Associates, Ltd.

The Altoona Area School District recently received a Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Tracks grant that has been created specifically for schools that serve 50 percent or greater free and reduced meals and would like to institute wellness education programs.

Instrumental in attaining and overseeing the grant for the district are Dr. Mary Lou Ray, Director of Curriculum and Instruction; Henry Adams, Assistant to the Superintendent for Business; Dr. Norman Miller, Director of Secondary Academics; Camilla Houy, Director of Federal Programs; and Dr. Dennis Murray, Superintendent.

“The increase in the number of children who are obese and the concern about the impact of the lack of a healthy lifestyle are two reasons why the Altoona Area School District views participation in the Nutrition Tracks Program as an opportunity to ensure that our students are getting important knowledge that will help them realize the importance of good nutrition,” stated Dr. Mary Lou Ray.

Six elementary schools in the Altoona Area School District received the Tracks grant; however, the program is being implemented in all ten of the district’s elementary schools. The Tracks project is based on the curriculum of the National Dairy Council’s Little D’s Nutrition Education program. Metz & Associates, Ltd., the district’s dining management provider, was asked by the district to administer the grant and incorporate some of their own wellness programs, including Nutritious Friends and Commissioner Nutrition, both of which promote healthy eating and nutrition education among students.

Metz & Associates is excited to partner with the district in administering the grant and helping to enhance the programs and curriculum with the addition of their own wellness programs including the Metz wellness mascot, Commissioner Nutrition. This lovable bear who teaches students about fruits and vegetables and proper nutrition will be incorporated into the curriculum of Little D’s. He will even help Little D “investigate” what foods are healthy and why. As outreach to parents, Metz also sends home a monthly wellness newsletter and includes wellness information on the back of their lunch menus.

Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Tracks (Tracks) is the mechanism for administering Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE) in Pennsylvania. Tracks is funded through USDA’s Food & Nutrition Service and operates the FSNE program according to federal guidelines. Tracks implements specific education plans for three target audiences: adults/seniors, school-age children and preschoolers. Organizations serving low-income consumers can submit annual applications for funding to provide nutrition education activities that fit into one or more of these education plans.

The Altoona Area School District successfully submitted a plan modeled after the National Dairy Council’s Little D program, which focuses on the importance of milk and calcium, as well as the importance of eating from all five food groups and why being active is important for a healthy lifestyle. The district developed lesson plans for grade levels K-2, encompassing a total of eighty-five classrooms, with the help of Metz & Associates’ Wellness Coordinator, Michelle Marker, and Foodservice General Manager, Milt Miller. “The lesson plans can be easily adapted and expanded on by teachers in the classroom,” Marker said.

In addition to the in-class lessons, four assemblies will be held throughout the school year, to help reinforce the positive messages students received in their in-class lessons. “Holly the Cow from the Little D program will make an appearance before the Christmas break to engage the interest of the students in nutrition, and delicious calcium-rich smoothies will be available for sampling,” Marker added. At a January assembly, a food sampling of items from all five food groups will also be on display to teach students the importance of each food group and allow them to try various selections from each. Commissioner Nutrition will attend the assembly to provide extra excitement and added educational reinforcement for students.

To prepare teachers in the district to teach the Little D lesson plans, Marker meets with them at in-service seminars to discuss the plans and objectives. A variety of lessons are presented to teachers at each in-service seminar throughout the year. Upcoming lessons include how to introduce students to the program, as well as familiarizing them with the five food groups through a story about a “Royal Food Family.” The story also introduces Little D, the dragon who needs to eat healthier. This lesson encourages a lively discussion, with feedback from the students, on what it means to be healthy. Materials to better engage the students in the activities will include a large Little D dragon poster for the wall, which will help them in learning and remembering the five food groups. Another lesson will delve further into The Royal Food Family as a review of what each food group does for their body, such as how the meat group helps to build strong muscles.

“The lesson will show how The Royal Food Family teaches Little D how to eat foods that will help him feel good and help him do his best at school and play,” Marker said. “This will easily lead to discussions with the students regarding what they can eat to help them feel their best and do their best at school, in sports and even at play.”

As a follow-up lesson, students will verbally present what they have learned about the five food groups in previous lessons. They will identify healthy foods they should eat from the five groups and create their own healthy food pyramids.

At the end of the school year, all students will receive an achievement certificate from Altoona Area School District, presented by Commissioner Nutrition, stating that they participated in the program and gained valuable knowledge and understanding on the importance of eating healthy and staying active.

The Tracks grant also funds Altoona Area School District’s Summer Wellness Camp. The purpose of the camp is to further educate students about healthy eating, wellness and physical activity. The camp will culminate with a celebration barbecue and achievement certificates for all students.

“Feedback from teachers regarding the Nutrition Tracks Program is very positive,” stated Dr. Ray. “They are very pleased with the Little D’s materials and the assistance they are receiving in helping them with the planning and sequencing of the lessons as well as the opportunity for students to experience the foods discussed in the program.”