The Oregon Dairy Council with help from Nutrition Education Services, has awarded more than $7,000 in grants to four recipients. The dollars will be used to help Oregon students become better acquainted with the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity. The winners will receive financial assistance to support nutrition education projects among school-aged youth.
This year’s winners are: Marshall High School, Bend; Boys and Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley, Roseburg; Wallowa County Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service, Enterprise; and Polk County OSU Extension Service, Dallas.
Melanie Clendenin secured a $2,505 grant for the Boys and Girls Club of Umpqua Valley. Clendenin said, “Since opening a new Kids Café, we have removed all vending machines and serve breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The funding provides us with the opportunity to add a nutrition education program. We want to help kids make changes in their lives not only to continue to grow up healthy but to prevent disease and illness.”
Debera Schreiber, a Wallowa County 4-H and Family Community Development Agent, won $2,190 to launch an ongoing nutrition program for 6th grade students. Concerned about the displacement of milk by high sugar drinks, Schreiber developed a curriculum to teach kids about the importance of dairy products for growing bones.