Submitted by Lisa Savage, Reading Interventionist for Garret Schenck Elementary School.
Garret Schenck School serves healthy choices to preK-5 students in Anson every day. At every grade level our Positive Action program helps students learn that making positive choices feels better, and that positive choices include caring for our bodies through nutrition and hygiene.
Supporting nutrition learning, our 5-2-1-0 participation brings raw fruits and vegetables right into the classroom. Older grades receive a visit from a nutrition educator who conducts food prep classes where everyone gets to eat what they just learned how to make. Younger grades learn about a food before daring to try a bite of something new. The motto, “Don’t yuck my yum!” helps create a positive atmosphere for guided nutritional risk taking.
Our school’s community garden brings together students, teachers, school board members and neighbors to grow produce and nurture a love of gardening. Some of the goodies make their way to classrooms at snack time while others are used for our annual harvest dinner, which is held on open house night. Students at each grade level help prepare a harvest meal that is shared by their families.
Cooking club for grades 2-5 also benefits from the bounty of the harvest. In this after school activity teams work to prepare popular dishes like lasagne, shepherd’s pie and tossed salad using tomatoes and basil from the garden in season. Students learn teamwork, measurement, and math through cooking, eating and cleaning up.
We are proud of the healthy positive choices we are making at Garret Schenck!