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Lee First Texas School
to Receive USDA Gold School Award

Lee Elementary School was the first Texas school to receive the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Gold School Award during a special celebration on Thursday, November 15th in the Lee Elementary school gym.

USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Nancy Montanez Johner presented the nation’s highest school nutrition award to Lee Principal Maria Elena Coronado and to Michael Rosenberger, Food Service Department director.  Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) administrators, additional USDA representatives, IISD school board members, and local officials were present.

Lee earned the Healthier US School Challenge Silver Award last year after presenting a packet of information featuring menus that demonstrate healthy menu planning practices and the principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  The application also highlighted physical activity and nutrition education offered at the school.

Since that time, Lee has pursued a variety of programs and activities that qualified the school for the Healthier US School Challenge Gold Award. Lee involved the school nurse and cafeteria manager in classroom nutrition education and incorporated nutrition lessons in art, music and physical education classes. Students are also encouraged to exercise at home through walking and other exercises. Finally, the main objective is to ensure that students are routinely encouraged to be physically active for the rest of their lives.

Initiated in 2004, the Healthier US School Challenge recognizes nutrition excellence in elementary schools across the nation.  On September 4, 2007, Lee qualified for the Gold Award, raising the total number of schools qualifying for Gold in the United States to 175.