CHERRY HILL – Agriculture Secretary Charles
M. Kuperus and Philadelphia Eagles placekicker David
Akers today visited the Rosa International Middle School
to promote National School Lunch Week and encourage
students to eat right to ensure a healthy and successful
future.
The Secretary and Akers, along with members of
the Eagles cheerleading team, ate lunch with nearly
150 middle school students and discussed how they
can replace foods of minimal nutritional value with
healthier alternatives.
“Kids need good nutrition to grow strong,
be active and learn better,” said Kuperus. “With
15 percent of the nation’s children overweight,
it’s important that we encourage our kids to
make healthier food choices in and out of school.
We know that when they eat the school lunch, they’re
getting a balanced meal, but that’s only part
of what they eat every day.”
Good nutrition is essential not only for athletes,
but for anyone who wants to be a winner, Akers said.
“I’m happy to have worked with the
Agriculture Secretary to promote good nutrition and
National School Lunch Week,” said Akers. “It’s
important kids know that healthy eating helps them
in all aspects of life, including academics and athletics.”
Cherry Hill Schools Superintendent Dr. Morton Sherman
welcomed Kuperus and the Eagles as they spread the
message about eating right.
“The Cherry Hill School District is proud
to offer healthy meal choices to thousands of students
who eat in our lunchrooms each day,” Sherman
said.” Good nutrition is so important to student
performance whether in the classroom or on the playing
field.”
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture administers
the federal school lunch program, which provides
balanced lunches for more than a half-million New
Jersey students on a daily basis.
The Department also spearheads the state’s
Healthy Choices, Healthy Kids campaign, a joint initiative
with the Departments of Health and Human Services
and Education to combat the alarming epidemic of
childhood obesity and Type II diabetes.
National School Lunch Week is designed to help
raise awareness about the important role school foodservice
and nutrition programs play in the lives of America’s
schoolchildren. The week runs from October 13 through
October 17. |