Bogalusa's Byrd Avenue wins national award, earns invitation to White House reception

Joannie Miller, supervisor of the child nutrition programs for the Bogalusa City Schools, was noticeably excited — and justifiably.

The district's Byrd Avenue Elementary School food services program has been awarded a Gold Award of Distinction through the Healthier U. S. School Challenge (HUSSC). Only five schools nationwide were presented with a Gold award this award cycle.

"This is great news," she told wpnewsblog prior to the start of the board's committee meeting Monday afternoon,

And while the award is great in itself, there's another perk that makes it even better  — a $2,000 award for meeting HUSSC's updated criteria. And if that's not enough, Gold Award winners have been invited by First Lady Michelle Obama to a reception on the South Lawn of the White House at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 29. 

The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary initiative established in 2004 to recognize those schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity.

A total of 123 schools were recognized from Alabama, Georgia, Illinoia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Since the beginning of the award program in 2004, awards have been given to schools in 43 states.

Miller said the U.S. Department of Agriculture commended the schools for "the exemplary steps, leadership and team work employed to make changes to the schools' nutrition environment, improve the quality of the foods served, provide students with more nutritious, healthy choices and enhance their physical activity program."

Miller said it gives other schools in the district something to shoot for. 

(Published first at http://www.wpnewsblog.blogspot.com)