Emily Strietz is a new teacher at Glacial Hills Elementary. Formerly a nurse, Emily is the school’s nutrition education specialist. Her position was made possible with the Action for Healthy Kids Grant!
For this year’s Thanksgiving, our student Kitchen Ambassador program made apple crisp using local apples, honey and maple syrup.
Students harvested herbs from our indoor hydroponic garden and learned to dry them for our school’s kitchen use.

Glacial Hills Elementary School (GHES) was awarded a Healthy Meals Incentives grant in the amount of $146,289 from Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) to support its efforts to provide nutrition education, update the school’s kitchen and make homemade meals with the use of local produce. 

The Healthy Meals Incentives grant is part of an allocation of nearly $30 million by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service to 264 schools across 44 states and the District of Columbia.

“Our kitchen is staffed by one person. Preparing homemade meals and fresh produce takes more time than one person can provide.  This grant allowed us to hire an additional kitchen cook to assist with meal preparation and serving.  Lastly, Glacial Hills lacked proper food service equipment.  We do not have a walk-in freezer or refrigerator, a conveyor toaster, or a salad buffet table. This would bring our kitchen up-to-date and assist our kitchen manager by providing her with time efficient equipment and proper storage spaces for food, especially local produce!”said GHES Director Jodee Lund

As part of the Healthy Meals Incentives grant program, AFHK and its partners will provide Glacial Hills Elementary with in-depth individualized technical assistance to support and guide the implementation of key strategies to improve school meal quality, as well as help the district to develop creative solutions to provide nutritious foods for the children we serve.

“Offering healthier school meals is key to helping our nation’s kids get the nutrients they need today and for their long-term development,” said Action for Healthy Kids CEO Rob Bisceglie. “Through this historic investment in school nutrition, we will help school districts across the country overcome challenges and develop solutions to provide nutritious foods for the children they serve.”

An online map on the Healthy Meals Incentives website features the selected school districts and their grant amounts. The map will be updated on a rolling basis as school districts formalize their grant agreements.

 “Students in every community deserve access to healthy and nutritious meals,” said USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “Today’s announcement demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to creating healthier, brighter futures for our children. With these funds, small and rural school districts will be able to modernize their operations and provide more nutritious meals, helping students succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

Check out more photos in our photo gallery!