Cherokee Schools Nutrition Department Earns 'Golden Radish' Award

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School District School Nutrition program has scored a three-peat with its third consecutive platinum-level Georgia Golden Radish Award.

Cherokee Schools' program, which serves 5 million meals each year in school cafeterias, again earned the top award from Georgia’s Departments of Agriculture, Public Health and Education, and Georgia Organics.

Platinum is the highest recognition awarded to Georgia school nutrition programs for farm-to-school programs. This initiative in the district includes serving locally grown food on school menus every day, educating students through school gardens (and letting them grow and harvest the crops for their school kitchens), partnering with local farms and the Cherokee County Farm Bureau, and more.

Cherokee Schools' School Nutrition Director Tina Farmer will accept the award at a ceremony in Atlanta later this month with School Board Chair Kyla Cromer and CCSD Chief Financial Officer Ken Owen. Farmer and her leadership team will be recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools Brian V. Hightower at the School Board’s September meeting.

“Our School Nutrition program exceeds the ‘gold standards’ for excellence in every aspect of operations and is so deserving of this honor,” Hightower said. “Ms. Farmer and her staff not only ensure students are served healthy, nutritious and tasty meals at an affordable price, but they also use as many locally sourced ingredients as possible, focus on fresh foods and homemade recipes, accommodate individual needs, and make meals fun through special events.”

The Golden Radish Award is given to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Georgia who are doing extraordinary work in farm to school. LEAs are recognized at five levels. Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Radishes are awarded to recognize LEAs with varying levels of farm to school programs. Honorary Radishes are awarded to programs that are just getting started and satisfy at least one criterion within the Bronze level or higher. LEAs that satisfy the Gold level for all 10 criteria are awarded a Platinum Radish. An additional award, the Outstanding Award, is given to the district/LEA with the outstanding farm to school program.