Vernon Part Of Farm-To-School Initiative For 2024-25

VERNON, CT — The Connecticut Farm to School Institute has announced selected teams for the 2024-25 academic year and public schools in Vernon are on the roster.

The CT Farm to School Institute is a comprehensive year-long professional learning opportunity that builds capacity in school communities by bringing together food service staff, educators, administrators and community partners to develop their Farm to School programs, and help bring more Connecticut-grown food into the cafeteria, community and classroom.

With the support of a coach, teams spend the next year putting their plans into action.

The CT Farm to School Institute has adapted the successful Vermont FEED Northeast Farm to School Institute to serve more Connecticut schools, districts, students and farmers.

The Institute is a project of CT Farm to School Collaborative, with funding from Connecticut Department of Agriculture, CT Grown for CT Kids Grant and Ritter Family Foundation. Other key partners that contribute to the success of the Institute in Connecticut are FoodCorps, New Britain ROOTS, UCONN Put Local On Your Tray and Vermont FEED.

The initiative supports selected schools and districts in designing and implementing effective, school-wide Farm to School programs— that builds change that lasts.

"After a successful inaugural CT Farm to School Institute in 2023, our planning team
and partners were more driven to grow this program and offer farm to school action
planning tools and professional development to Connecticut schools and districts. While
the Institute supported the implementation of CT Grown for CT Kids Grant recipient
projects in 2023, we are proud to be an awardee of 2024 CT Grown for CT Kids Grant
and increase the size of the Institute to four teams this year. We have seen how
successful farm to school programs can grow by utilizing the Institute model of
connecting classrooms, cafeterias and communities," said Lisa Lenskold, CT Farm to
School Institute Project Director.

The programs resulting from the CT Farm to School Institute seek to create a culture of
wellness, improve food quality and access, engage students in agriculture and nutrition
education, and strengthen local food systems.

The the four teams selected for the 2024-25 CT Farm to School Institute:

● Beman Middle School, Middletown
● Danbury Public Schools
● Rocky Hill High School
● Vernon Public Schools