Students at 124 schools across Idaho, including several in the area, will receive free, fresh fruit and vegetables during the coming school year thanks to state-administrated grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra announced.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides children in participating elementary schools with a variety of fruits and vegetables during the school day. Under the National School Lunch Act, schools with the highest enrollment of students identified for free and reduced-cost meals are given priority for participation.

This selection criterion ensures that the program benefits children who generally have fewer opportunities to eat fresh fruit and vegetables on a regular basis.

Schools were awarded the grants through a competitive application process. The grant period runs from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, and all grants are contingent upon U.S. Department of Agriculture funds availability.

The State Department of Education administers the program as an effective, creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options for schoolchildren throughout Idaho. Schools are reimbursed for providing the fresh fruits and vegetables to all students within the school day, at a different time than the school meal programs operate.

Schools in the region which received a grant were: Spirit Lake Elementary School, $20,740.76; Idaho Hill Elementary School, $6,818.88; and Priest River Elementary School, $23,155.78.