PUBLISH IMMEDIATELY BYU graduate Kate Garret organized BYU student volunteers to teach children nutrition Tuesday at Amelia Earhart Elementary for National School Lunch Week.
Garrett is an intern at the Provo City School District nutrition center. The Provo City School District won “best in state” for child nutrition four years in a row. A national representative was expected to come in honor of this achievement but was not able to travel during the government shutdown.
“Provo school district does spectacular things often and they are incredible,” Garrett said.
Pupils attended a nutrition fair with a healthy lunch, games, and photo-booths hosted by BYU volunteers. Children met BYU athletes and Cosmo and watched food science majors create snacks using liquid nitrogen.
They ate Utah grown food including pinto beans, green beans, apples, and turkeys were from local companies.
“Except those potatoes from Idaho,” Garrett said. “But funeral potatoes are a Utah tradition.”
BYU students athletes, dietetic majors and food science majors joined together to be part of the fair.
“I came and told them I wanted to help,” said Justin Sorensen, BYU football kicker.
He said his job is to encourage kids to be active, especially in sports.
“I specifically request to go to elementary schools because its more personal,” Sorensen said. “It usually ends up with 50 kids wanting to play football.”
Sorensen has 32 nieces and nephews, a few of which he has seen at schools while volunteering.
Danielle Reschke, dietetics major, said Garrett came directly to her class to gain recruits.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Reschke said while passing out pinto beans to children and explaining the nutritional benefits benefits of beans. “These will help you grow big and strong like an athlete,” Rescheke said to a child.
Though Garrett said she thinks Provo School District is incredible, her supervisor said Garrett was the one who took charge of the event.
“She’s given her heart to this project and it shows,” said Jenilee McComb, Child Nutrition Director. “One little girl put her arms around me and said ‘today is the best day of my whole life.”
Garrett was responsible for the idea, vision, and execution of the event. She organized the volunteers, recruited support, designed the activities, and planned the Utah inspired menu.
“We stayed away from the green jello though,” McComb said about planning then menu with tradition in mind. “Too much sugar.”
