FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Dr. J. Scott Smith, Superintendent of Schools, 301-475-5511, ext. 32178
Dr. Alex Jaffurs, Assistant Superintendent of Supporting Services, 301-475-4256, ext. 7
LEONARDTOWN, MD – St. Mary’s County Public Schools will celebrate Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week and National School Lunch Week during the week of October 10-14, 2022. This week, Town Creek Elementary and Green Holly Elementary schools will host our annual outdoor events.
Students at these two schools will participate in our outdoor Farm-to-School Day events, which include moving through stations and learning about different aspects of farming. Students will learn about farm animals, see large farm equipment, how their food grows, and aquaculture. Curriculum and books for the week have been provided by the University of Maryland Extension Office and offer students an opportunity to “Thank a Farmer.” These handwritten notes from students will be distributed to farmers who have contributed to this year’s lunches.
St. Mary’s County Public Schools Department of Food & Nutrition Services will purchase Maryland-raised meats from Hoffman’s Meats and produce from local farms. Buying local products helps grow our local economy and provides fresh fruits and vegetables grown just down the road from where our students live. All students at Town Creek and Green Holly elementary schools will be offered a free slice of watermelon during their lunches grown by local farmers from Oakville, Maryland.
Nutritional programs teach children the importance of an active, healthy lifestyle to combat childhood obesity and enhance the role farms play in healthy eating and exercise. Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week aims to bring more Maryland-grown products to school lunches and to help educate students about where their food comes from, how it is produced, and the benefits of a healthy diet.
During the weeks of October 17th and 24th, the Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation will be visiting Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School and Oakville Elementary School. During these visits, funded by the St. Mary’s County Farm Bureau, students will gain important agriculture education that ties into their science curriculum. During these weeks, local farmer Mr. Earl Lumpkins of Part Green Hill Farms has provided ground beef burgers raised in Leonardtown, Maryland, which will be grilled by volunteers from the St. Mary’s County Fair Board and the Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation and served to students.
All schools will be serving local foods during this celebration week. We encourage students to participate and eat school lunch this week! Send your video or pictures to foodservice@smcps.org. You may see yourself on Twitter!
Follow more about Maryland’s Farm to School initiative: @MSDEnutrition on Twitter and Instagram. Tag @MSDEnutrition and @MDfarm2school and use the hashtags #MHGSLW and #MDKidsEatLocal.