Class Act: Townsend Schools win National Healthy Schools Award

Tuesday, two Townsend schools were recognized for promoting excellence in nutrition and physical activity. In this week's Class Act, Beartooth NBC's Kristin Price visits the schools to see why they are a HealthierUS School Challenge silver award winner.

Townsend Schools' food services, principal, teachers and students came together to concur the HealthierUS School Challenge.

Cafeteria food service director, Vicki Thomason, went directly to their biggest critic to create a menu that was healthy and enjoyable. 

“Last year, we had a board and it was one person from each class and she just asked us, she gave us a menu and asked us what we liked and what we didn't like and the things that we wanted changed and then she just took our input and put it to the school lunch program to better it,” says senior Clair Garman.

Junior Dylan Saltzman says, “The lunch ladies do a really good job of getting fresh vegetables and fresh fruit for us every day.”

The input from students seems to have paid off.  

“They love it because it used to be just one choice and now they have 3 choices of the entrees and fruit and salad bar every day and the three different kinds of milk. I mean, they have their choice of what they want so it doesn't go in the garbage, they actually eat it,” says Thomason.    

Saltzman says, “The lunches are pretty good. They have a big variety of different means for us to eat from every day and each day we can either have a grab and go or two choices of hot lunch.”     

Thomason says everyone pitched in to help make the award possible.     

According to Thomason, “It was great because it was good for the kids and that's what we're here for is the kids.”     

To qualify for the award, the school created a program that not only provided nutritional food, but more physical activity as well.     

Providing their students with a healthy lifestyle makes Townsend Schools a CLASS ACT.

Story by Kristin Price, Beartooth NBC.
Sponsored by Sylvan Learning Center of Helena.
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