State selects school as pilot for new lunchroom program

BRADFORD, Pa. — Elk County Catholic School System in St. Marys has been chosen as a pilot school in one of Project PA’s newer programs with the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The project involves Smarter Lunchrooms, an initiative out of Cornell University that uses low-cost or no-cost, simple, research-based strategies to encourage students to make healthier choices in school lunchrooms.

Elk County Catholic is one of four school districts to serve as a Smarter Lunchrooms pilot site, and because of its participation in the program, the school system will receive $1,500 to support changes made to the school meal environment.
School food services director Kim Schlimm was thrilled to learn the school system had been chosen for the program.

“We were very excited to be chosen as part of this pilot program,” Schlimm said. “Participating in this study provided shared ideas and best practices that will help our students make healthy food choices and consume a balanced diet.