Four Kansas school districts and two organizations were honored Tuesday, Aug. 14, for outstanding practices in Child Nutrition and Wellness programs that help support the Kansans Can vision.

The Kansans Can 2017-2018 Best Practice Awards were presented during the Kansas State Board of Education meeting in Topeka. This is the second year for the awards.

The Kansans Can vision, which was established by the State Board of Education in 2015, is “Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.”

The recipients and the award they received are:

• Manhattan-Ogden Unified School District 383: Kansans Can Impact Wellness - Using grant funds from the 2015-2016 school year, Manhattan-Ogden Unified School District 383 purchased the Organwise Guys curriculum for its second-grade students. Students meet monthly for an hour to learn the connection between healthy habits and healthy organs, and often the lessons are led by Kansas State University dietetics students. The district plans to expand the curriculum into kindergarten and fourth grade.
• Goessel USD 411: Kansans Can Celebrate Nutrition and Wellness Special Events - The elementary school garden has grown substantially during its six years, reaping many benefits for the students and earning national recognition from Carton 2 Garden. The effort involves high school FFA members and parents alongside the students during the March-October growing period. School curriculum integrates lessons from the garden, and the cafeteria uses the products to create a holistic experience.
• Haven USD 312: Kansans Can Step Up to Lead - Haven USD 312’s first Family Farm Fun Day brought together local farmers and the community with a variety of activities - interaction with farm animals and equipment; farm-related physical activities; seed planting; farm fresh foods; and a farmers market. The event deepened the connection students made at school lunchtime between the local farmers and local products.
• Derby USD 260: Kansans Can Manage Finances – Derby USD 260 offered the Summer Food Service Program districtwide. Foodservice collaborated with the Derby High School ROTC students to enlist student volunteers and saved the district $1,500. The Derby Community Foundation, an American Family Agent; Woodlawn United Methodist Church; and Derby Community Family Services provided grant money totaling $6,850 to provide free lunches to adults with accompanied children eating in the summer program. These collaborative efforts resulted in a significant increase in participation and a financially viable summer meals program.
• First Choice Support Services Inc.: Kansans Can Implement Innovative Meal Pattern Strategies - First Choice Support Services Inc. effectively supports its providers by enhancing understanding of updated meal pattern requirements from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Menu by Numbers visual resource - both for infants and children - assists providers in aligning their menus with the updates. An update to First Choice’s Provider Handbook facilitates greater understanding of all Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) regulations for providers.
• Quality Care Services Inc.: Kansans Can Celebrate Nutrition and Wellness Special Events - Quality Care Services Inc. helped bring CACFP Week activities to life for many of the providers the organization serves. The organization mailed activity toolkits to providers and encouraged daily participation during the week with prize drawings based on provider interaction. The goal of the weeklong celebration was to encourage providers to engage with children and parents about purposeful nutrition.