The annual Golden Root Award is a celebration of Iowa schools, early care and education providers, and residential child care institutes working to grow and share their love of local food and community.
We are excited to announce that this year’s School of the Year is Riceville Community School District!
Nancy Eastman, Riceville Food Service Director, shared compelling stories of their school community’s efforts to grow a holistic farm to school program that centers interdisciplinarity, experiential learning and fresh, local food. Engaging students directly through taste tests, farmer classroom visits, and events like The Great Apple Crunch, Fun – Food – Fitness Days, and an elementary school farmers market, Riceville connects students to local food through fun, meaningful activities. “Hosting events like the Elementary school farmers market not only provides students with access to fresh, local produce but also fosters a sense of community and connection to the food they eat.”
Nancy shared how hands-on activities such as growing plants, making compost, learning what farm products we consume, agricultural experiments in the classroom, and visiting farms like Apple Orchards and Turkey Farms provide students with experiential learning opportunities.” She shares, “This type of learning is often more impactful and memorable than traditional classroom instruction, fostering a deeper understanding of agricultural concepts.”
With this, Riceville has also centered local food in the cafeteria, transitioning to scratch cooking and growing vegetables for the salad bar to further reinforce a commitment to providing wholesome, nutritious meals for students. “”We have made tremendous strides in promoting healthy eating habits among students and integrating fresh fruits and vegetables into their diets. Overall, our efforts are making a significant impact on the health and wellness of the school community, and initiatives like these can have lasting benefits for students both now and in the future.”
Congratulations, Nancy!
