Four schools in San Diego County have been selected to receive funding for a federal program to make more fresh fruit and vegetables available to students.
According to the state Department of Education, the awardees are:
-- America's Finest Charter School, which will receive $860 initially and another $8,649 on Oct. 1;
-- Libby Elementary School in the Oceanside Unified School District, $2,835 to start and $28,513 on Oct. 1;
-- Alvin M. Dunn Elementary School in the San Marcos Unified School District, $3,500 and $35,202; and
-- San Marcos Elementary School in the San Marcos Unified School District, $4,410 and $44,354.
"Students who don't have enough nutritious food to eat can have a tough time succeeding in school,'' said Tom Torlakson, the state superintendent of public instruction. "Not only will these grants provide fresh fruits and vegetables to elementary school kids, they will also help the local economy by encouraging schools to buy produce from local farmers.''
Nearly 350 schools in California were picked to participate after submitting competitive grant proposals and will get a total of $11.1 million, according to the CDE.
The program is designed to provide students with a variety of free fresh fruit and vegetable snacks as a supplement to the school breakfast and lunch programs, and to teach them about good nutrition.
