Nicholas LaCorte-Peterstown School No. 3 Receives VIP Award

New Jersey Department of Agriculture and USDA representatives presented Nicholas LaCorte-Peterstown School No. 3 in Elizabeth with the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program VIP Award last week. 

The award program highlights schools in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) that are doing an exceptional job at promoting fruits and vegetables and healthy lifestyles to their students. The school was selected for the first-place prize for providing a comprehensive program integrating the entire school community in program and wellness activities.

“The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides a way for schools to teach students about where their food comes from and how it is produced, which in turn encourages healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime,” NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher said. “This program also gives students the opportunity to enjoy a healthy snack and celebrate the farmers who grow these foods. Congratulations to the staff and students at LaCorte-Peterstown School No. 3 for operating such a wonderful program.”

The school offers the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, a federally funded initiative that offers grants to schools to provide fresh produce as snacks to students in schools where 50 percent or more of the students receive free or reduced-price meals. A record-high 210 New Jersey schools are participating in the 2022-2023 school year’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

“Consuming healthy fresh fruits and vegetables has become a habit for many of our students because of this program,” said LaCorte-Peterstown School No. 3 Principal Jennifer Campel. “It has contributed to them understanding the value of eating nutritious foods on a regular basis as they learn how a good diet can have positive effects on their classroom performance as well as in extra-curricular activities.”

NJDA Food and Nutrition Division Director Rose Tricario presented the school with a trophy. Students have been served Jersey Fresh throughout the year as FFVP snacks. These have included snap dragon apples, kale, spinach, corn on the cob (shucked by students), asparagus, tomatoes, green beans, bell peppers, squash, and brussels sprouts.

LaCorte-Peterstown School No. 3 features a farm stand with fresh produce which allows students to grab a fruit or vegetable throughout the day for a healthy snack.

The students and their families also created a "Let's Cook" fruits and vegetables cookbook along with a fruit snack in decorative boxes.

The USDA has allocated $5,580,688 to New Jersey for this school year’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, to provide fresh produce to approximately 100,000 students in 54 districts throughout 16 counties during the school day. The students also receive nutrition education.

Eighty-four percent of the 210 schools have agreed to link their FFVP to the Jersey Fresh Farm to School Program. The FFVP program has grown from 33 schools in 2008.

“Throughout our district, we prioritize the promotion of social, intellectual, and physical wellness through school activities and classroom instruction,” stated Elizabeth Public Schools Superintendent Olga Hugelmeyer. “The students of School No. 3 have learned lessons about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and maintaining a healthy diet through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program that will remain valuable to them throughout their lives. We are very proud of the commitment that our students, team members, and families of School No. 3 have made in earning this special award and hope they continue to reap the personal benefits that come with eating healthy.”

“Congratulations to the students and staff of School No. 3 for winning this year’s USDA Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program VIP award,” said Elizabeth Board of Education President Rosa Moreno Ortega. “We thank the USDA and the NJDA for making the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program available to public schools in New Jersey, especially in underserved communities such as Elizabeth where food security and childhood obesity remain important issues. Having access to healthy foods is so important to our students growing healthy and strong, being able to perform at their best, and reaching their full potential.”