Flora Stitcher, Food Service Manager at Carrollton High School, in Carrollton, GA has always loved using the "got milk?" posters and banners in her cafeteria to educate kids about drinking milk, but recently she decided to step up the activity! So, she decided to do a school-wide, week-long "got milk?" promotion in December that wrapped up with a big celebration in the cafeteria, featuring a visit by their local milk processor, Scottie Mayfield of Mayfield Dairies.
The week started with the health care science director teaching about the skeletal system and the benefits of drinking milk to help build strong bones, using MilkPEP and Dairy Council materials. At the end of the week's lesson, the students all went online to bodybymilk.com to make their own milk mustaches!
Next, the mass media students joined in the fun, and made their own "got milk?" video, featuring the school's food service director and superintendent, talking about milk's overall benefits, and chocolate milk's specific advantages as a post-workout drink. The football team rallied for the cause, and appears in the video, drinking chocolate milk after games. And, the video features a "got milk?" song written by another group of students!
The video was premiered to the whole school at the cafeteria celebration event. The journalism department got involved too, inviting local media to attend the event, and one of the students wrote an article that appeared in the local newspaper. Don't forget the art department, who made a really cool banner, welcoming Mr. Mayfield to the school.
On the day of the big event, the entire school was decorated with posters, there were stuffed animal cows throughout the cafeteria, staff were wearing black and white, and Mr. Mayfield posed for pictures with students wearing their milk mustaches. The cafeteria lines were decorated with posters and banners, and Mayfield Dairy gave all of the students "got milk?" pens and pencils.
As a result, milk consumption increased by 40% that week, some days a la carte consumption doubled, and Flora reports that overall consumption continues to be up, and she's sure the students will keep drinking milk! But the best part was that the students had a great time, and it was a lot of fun for the whole school!
Flora comments that, "This has been the most exciting project I think I have ever been involved in. Just seeing how the students and staff got excited about this was great. I guess you can tell I really like my job and love the students and staff!"
