Marian Hedges, Principal of Central Elementary School and Superintendent for the Central Unified School District in Burden, Kansas applied for a health grant through the local Methodist church for $1000 to help fund a “milk break” program for her 3rd and 4th graders. The school received $500 and started offering free milk to the children in the TREE Reading Program as a part of the district’s new Health and Wellness program. About 50% of the students are on free/reduced meals, so and the extra milk helps them meet their dietary needs.
The school not only offered flavored and reduced fat milk, but soda vending machines were made inaccessible to students. Recently, with more help from the local Methodist church, Marian started a fundraiser to match the grant money. “Piggy banks” were created using empty milk cartons. These “piggy banks” were distributed throughout the community for donations of spare change to help continue to fund the milk breaks. Once the cartons are full they’re returned to the church and the money is given to the school.
The students are consuming more milk, and are enjoying the milk breaks during their reading time. The milk carton “piggy banks” also help educate donors and families about the importance of drinking milk, and how their spare contribution makes a difference for their local students. With just $20 per student, the school can provide the milk break to all of the 3rd and 4th graders for the full school year.
The milk program kicked off at the beginning of the 2006 school year - with positive results from the students. The fundraising efforts to raise the last $500 began in late November 2006.
