West Virginia district fights to encourage kids to eat healthy

Feb. 12—The Superintendent of Upshur County Schools, in Buckhannon, W. Va., told the Create Buckhannon group, a grassroots organization looking to find ways to improve quality of life issues throughout the community, that district cooks have to follow the philosophy about leading a horse to water when it comes to proper nutrition.

"You can lay all of this great food out," Scott Lampinen said. "But if they don't touch it or eat it, it doesn't do any good." To combatthis, the school system has also incorporated a daily salad bar, which features a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many of those items have been purchased locally.

A "Breakfast After First" program has started in the schools. Lampinen said many students arrive too late to eat the traditional breakfast offering, but they grab the bag breakfast during the break between first and second period. The bag typically contains an item such as fruit or muffins, juice or milk.