Eastern Elementary School kindergarten and first-grade students have benefited from two recent grants.
Joannie Kellum, physical education teacher, received a Bright Ideas grant from Tideland Electric Membership Corporation titled “MyPlate — USDA Update.” The goal and objective of this grant is for students to understand MyPlate as a tool for selecting nutritious foods. MyPlate depicts a place setting with a plate and glass divided into five food groups. It promotes fruits and vegetables, which cover half the circle. Grains occupy an additional quarter, as do proteins such as meat, fish and poultry. A glass of milk for dairy, rests to the side. The following resources were made available through this grant:  MyPlate activity mat, powerpoint, pocket chart, meal set, banner, bingo, bulletin-board kit with poster and puzzle.
The second grant was awarded to the Beaufort County Physical Activity and Nutrition Coalition, allowing it to distribute items to 1,600 school-age children. Included in this grant was an official MyPlate plastic plate, “The Adventures of MyPlate” DVD, bookmarks and stickers. The students are able to use the plate to eat off of at mealtimes to help choose and sort nutritious foods into the correct food groups at home.
MyPlate education will allow children to begin to make healthful choices that will affect them for a lifetime.