High school students from Howard-Winneshiek recently participated in a training coordinated by Iowa State University Extension at Luther College.  The training prepared students for their role as cross-age teachers in the Farm to School program which began in January.
    The high school age team teachers will facilitate Farm to School lessons with second grade students once a month using folios developed specifically for northeast Iowa.  The folios feature a different local food each month and provide information for parents and students. 
    The following Crestwood High School students are Farm to School Team Teachers: Kaitlyn McAllister, Kyleigh Munkel, Emily Novotny, Kenzie Smith, Abby Thomas, Emmalee Brown, Emily Nibaur, Meghan McAllister, Kameron LeFebvre, Kim Malek, Grace Gast and Amanda Madsen. Mrs. Deb Obermann serves as the youth coach for the program.  In addition to participating in the recent training, she will also be in the classroom to support and supervise the team teachers.
    Vanette Grover, 4-H and Youth Development Specialist with Iowa State University Extension, provides support for the Northeast Iowa Farm to School program.
    This Farm to School project is part of the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative (FFI). It is partially funded through the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Food & Community program and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Six school districts are Farm to School pilot sites. The focus of Northeast Iowa’s Farm to School chapter involves three interdependent components–education, food service, and school gardens. For more information about Farm to School or the FFI, visit www.iowafoodandfitness.org.