Four Schools Earn USDA National Gold Award

Four Schools Earn USDA National Gold Award

   Four schools in the Mountain View School District (MVSD) including Payne, Twin Lakes, Monte Vista and Voorhis were honored for earning the United States Department of Agriculture’s HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchroom Gold Award for their achievements in helping students eat more healthfully and be more physically active. 

     The schools were honored at a reception prior to the District’s Regular Board Meeting on October 3 where they were presented with certificates of recognition from Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio, Congresswoman Grace Napolitano, the City of El Monte and the City of South El Monte, all who praised the schools and district for their strong focus on health, wellness and nutrition.

      A special presentation was held at the Board Meeting where Kim Frinzell, Director of Nutrition Services for the California Department of Education honored each school for their outstanding achievement in earning this national award.

      The four schools were selected for the Gold Award for empowering students to make good food and activity choices, partnering with parents and the community to encourage students to lead healthy lifestyles, and building upon the best science, education, communication and technical resources available to create effective programs. 

     “This is a great achievement for Payne, Twin Lakes, Monte Vista and Voorhis Schools as they are in a very prestigious and elite group since in the state of California, there are only 528 certified award winning schools and only 36 reaching the Gold Level Award,” said Frinzell.   “You should be extremely proud of this achievement.”

     Frinzell went on to commend the District’s administration and Board of Education for their overarching commitment to wellness, the school principals for the day to day environment they provide promoting wellness, teachers and school staff for incorporating nutrition and physical activity curriculum in the instructional day, the Family Engagement Department for empowering families in the nutrition and wellness philosophy, and the Food Services staff for setting the wellness policy, providing evidence-based nutrition education as well as nutritious, healthy meals, and for being leaders in the state of California in child nutrition.

        As Gold Award winners, each school received a monetary incentive, an honorary plaque and an award banner provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

        “We are very proud of our schools for achieving this great honor,” said Lillian Maldonado French, Superintendent.  “We have an extraordinary Food and Nutrition Services Team in Mountain View, led by Director of Food Services, Susan Delgado.  We recognize the connection between wellness and student achievement and through the partnership of the Food Services Department and our schools we strive to provide our students and families with wellness education and resources to empower them to lead healthy lifestyles.  The Gold Award recognition really showcases the amazing work Mountain View is doing in the area of wellness,” she added.

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