Jackie Harris began a journey two years ago to improve nutrition in Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five. She started by gathering a group of principals to discuss ways to get kids more active and to eat better.

"We wanted to make sure we had healthier choices in our meals," said Harris, director of food services in OCSD 5.

The district then started offering low-fat foods, salads, fresh fruits and vegetables every day.

"A lot of kids started eating salads that never ate them before," she said.

Bethune-Bowman Elementary School Principal Charlene Stokes said the emphasis on nutrition has caused a culture change among her students.

"It's almost as if the children prefer the healthier snacks to junk food snacks," she said.

Yesterday, the fruits of OCSD 5's labor were acknowledged when the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded eight elementary schools its top school nutrition honor.

USDA official Lanna Kirk presented gold certificates to representatives from Dover, Bethune-Bowman, Brookdale, Marshall, Mellichamp, Rivelon, Sheridan and Whittaker elementary schools during a luncheon in North. Those schools were the only ones in the state to ever receive the gold certificate.

The schools were honored as part of USDA's HealthierUS School Challenge. They demonstrated a commitment to emphasizing nutrition education and physical activity, according to a USDA press release.

Kirk said it's vital to stress the importance of nutrition in light of the rise in childhood obesity.

"Many of the schools are working toward that, but Orangeburg is leading the way. What these eight schools have done is inspirational," Kirk said.

Harris' vision didn't stop with nutrition. She also wanted to increase physical activity among the students.

She noted a grant helped the district to purchase equipment like jump ropes, hula hoops, exercise machines and games to get children active.

"Our physical education teachers have helped out a lot," she said.

Superintendent Melvin Smoak noted the district's ultimate goal is to educate children in every facet of life, including nutrition and physical activity. He said Harris' initiative was an easy sell to principals.

Brookdale Principal Dr. Cassandra Jenkins bought into Harris' ideas. She removed food and snacks that had high fat and sugar content from her school. She replaced those foods with nutritious fruit sticks and apple wedges.

"It's fun stuff kids will like, but it's still healthy," Jenkins said.

Parents and kids alike are very pleased with the health initiative, Stokes said.

"They love it because it's nutritious, flavorful and fun," she said.

The school runs an after school recreation program where kids get exercise and receive juice and healthy snacks.

The USDA's HealthierUS School Challenge honors schools in two categories: gold and silver. Harris said she only applied the schools to be considered in the gold category.

"In the Olympics, they go for the gold, so we went for the gold," she said.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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