We proudly announce that Ohio County Schools has received a Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award for making improvements to the nutritional quality of our district’s school meals.
Awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in collaboration with Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK), Ohio County Schools received the Breakfast Trailblazer Awardfor our work in lowering the amount of sugar served daily in our breakfast meals. We offer white milk choices only for breakfast and offer yogurts and cereals containing lower amounts of added sugars which reduces the total grams of sugar our students are provided each school day. These changes were implemented in August 2024 with a Back to School Nutrition Newsletter to parents, staff and students detailing the breakfast changes.
As an award recipient, we are also receiving national and local recognition and travel stipends to attend a national Healthy Meals Summit.
Breakfast Trailblazer Award winners improved the nutritional quality of their school breakfast menus by meeting specific criteria including limiting added sugars and implementing student engagement and/or nutrition education.
“We congratulate Ohio County Schools on this important achievement,” said Rob Bisceglie, Executive Officer & President for Action for Healthy Kids. “The HMI Recognition Awards are an opportunity to showcase innovative school nutrition practices that provide children with access to nutritious school meals,” he added.
“We are honored to receive this national recognition award which shows how small changes can impact the health and well-being of our students”, said Director of Child Nutrition & Wellness for Ohio County Schools, Renee Griffin, M.S., R.D., L.D., S.N.S.
AFHK is recognizing school districts to spotlight innovative practices, student and community engagement activities, and strategies schools have used to provide meals that are consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans – all as part of a cooperative agreement to develop and implement the USDA FNS’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative. Learn more about the Healthy Meals Incentives at www.healthymealsincentives.org.
Healthy school meals are an essential part of the school environment and a proven tool for improving a child’s health, growth, development, and educational outcomes. AFHK and USDA are committed to working together to strengthen school meals and investment in a bright future for our children.
