SHIP stories
The Statewide Health Improvement Program
(SHIP) works to improve health through better
nutrition, increased physical activity and
decreased commercial tobacco use and exposure.
Schools are a key area in which SHIP works to
improve health through better nutition. As of June
2011:
•
Across Minnesota, more than 360 schools
and 22 school districts, serving more than
200,000 students, are increasing access to
local produce with Farm to School.
Students tried rutabaga and
kohlrabi and liked them!
Staples-Motley High School is taking a fresh spin on
Farm-to-School. Starting in 2010, with the support
of SHIP, students in agriculture classes are planting
and harvesting vegetables at Central Lakes College
Agricultural and Energy Center, and then using the
produce in Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS)
classes and school cafeteria.
During the 2010-11 school year, 300 Staples-Motley
students participated in growing, harvesting, preparing
and eating the produce. FACS students learned new
ways to fix vegetables, using broccoli and carrots in
stir-fry, zucchini and carrots in muffins, bread and cake,
made sauce of tomatoes and herbs as well as using
them on bruschetta. They processed herbs into pesto,
roasted herbed vegetables and helped freeze beets
and zucchini.
The community is involved as well. The FACS curriculum
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/oshii
expanded to include assignments focusing on
supporting agriculture, including interviewing local
growers at the farmers market. The local food shelf
benefited from the extra produce that is donated, and
the school hosted an annual plant sale to support the
cost of the greenhouse and garden.
This is a real learning opportunity: the high schoolers
learn the benefits of eating locally grown produce and
increased their knowledge about vegetables. Most
importantly, students tried vegetables that they had
never tasted before—like rutabaga and kohlrabi—
and liked them!
***
SHIP works with communities across Minnesota to help
create real, sustainable health improvement. Find out
how at www.health.state.mn.us/ship