When returning home from school, kids often sprint to the pantry for an after-school snack. It’s often the most prominent bag of chips, or those sweet and savory cookies. Actually, there are probably several boxes of Girl Scout cookies sitting in cabinets around the Valley at this very moment. Unless they have already been eaten.

However, Boardman Local School District food services director Natalie Winkle is out to change that trend, and she must be commended for her effort.

Winkle’s Tot Chef program, which teaches students good nutrition, kitchen safety and other basics, started about 10 years ago. It was paused for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and was restarted recently after Winkle received a $2,500 grant she was awarded last May.

The classes are limited to 30 students per session, and Winkle conducts six-week programs for about an hour each week. Earlier this school year, 90 students from three elementary schools signed up for Winkle’s program. Talk about a popular attraction. We must commend both Winkle and the students for diving into a program that can establish building blocks for a healthy future. These types of healthy eating habits are sometimes forgotten among students in elementary school. Kids are always after the sweetest snacks, and this effort is an excellent way to combat that thought process.

In the program, students learn how to cut vegetables and prepare other types of snacks that benefit their growth and their health. Due to the enrollment for the program, it’s obviously popular throughout the district as well.

The exciting part about this program, however, is that it might just be the beginning.

When our reporter observed Winkle’s program late last week, six representatives from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and the United States Department of Agriculture did as well. They wanted to see the program in action.

They were so impressed that Rebecca Nadd, ODE’s farm-to-school specialist, said that she would like to see other schools across the state implement similar programs. This newspaper would as well!

Nadd went as far to say that the ODE is committed to supporting schools statewide that are interested in promoting educational programs in food preparation and agriculture.

We think that what Winkle has developed in the Boardman Local School District is something that can be replicated at several school districts throughout the Valley, and we encourage other schools to do so.

Nothing is more important than the health and safety of students. Eating healthy, learning how to cook safely and creating a sense of independence and ability to take care of oneself can go a long way in a child’s development. This program is one that checks so many boxes, and it shouldn’t be passed on.

We implore food service directors around the Valley to study what has been developed at Boardman and implement a similar program at your school. It can end up being a major benefit for your students.

editorial@vindy.com