Food Services recognized for Fruit & Veggie Festival
Students learn about papayas
HISD’s Food Services Department has received a grant and an Award for Excellence in Texas School Health from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
This annual, statewide recognition program is sponsored by the DSHS School Health Program and funded by the Texas Health Institute and the Texas Pediatric Society Foundation.
The department was recognized for its International Fruit & Veggie Festival, which took place in May 2013 at Golfcrest Elementary School. The festival was developed by Nutrition Education Dietitian Jennifer Griffin Lengyel to inspire life-long healthy habits in students.
The program gave students from pre-kindergarten through grade 4 the opportunity to learn about and sample fruits and vegetables grown across the globe. Over the course of two days, more than 600 students traveled “around the world” by visiting 11 booths representing 11 different countries. Each station highlighted a fruit or vegetable and also provided a physical activity for students. Lengyel is working to expand the festival to additional schools next spring.
