Schools across Australia demonstrate benefits of fresh food
The Rudd Government has committed up to $60,000 for up to 190 Government primary schools to implement the program across Australia over the next four years. The funding provided by the Government is to cover infrastructure costs associated with building kitchens and gardens.
This important program will help tackle the levels of childhood obesity by giving children hands-on experience in healthy eating.
School children in years 3-6 will get the opportunity to work in a productive garden, harvest the food, cook it in a purpose-built teaching kitchen and sit down with other students and parents to taste and enjoy what they have made.
This funding by the Rudd Government will see an additional 37 schools will join the program.
The Government will also provide $80,000 over two years to fund specialist kitchen and garden staff at Bulimba State School to implement the program and act as a demonstration school for other Queensland schools.
The demonstration schools are a model for interested schools to visit and act as a training centre for schools joining the program. Bulimba now joins the previously announced Elizabeth Downs Primary School in South Australia, Moonah Primary School in Tasmania, Palmyra Primary School in Western Australia, Bondi Public School in New South Wales, Majura Primary School in the Australian Capital Territory and Alawa Primary School in the Northern Territory as demonstration schools.
Victoria already has Collingwood College as a demonstration school, with the program having been successfully delivered in that state for the past seven years.
This program is part of the Rudd Government’s fresh approach to tackling the growing rates of childhood obesity in Australia, and recognises that children learn best through interaction and positive examples.
Schools to receive a grant of up to $60,000 for kitchen and garden infrastructure are:
South Australia
- Hampstead Primary School
- Clarendon Primary School
- The Heights School
- Woodend Primary School
- Kilkenny Primary School
- Bridgewater Primary School
- O’Sullivan Beach School
- Stirling North Primary School
- Hawker Area School
Queensland
- Jandowae State School
- Wellington Point State School
- Benarkin State School
- West End State School
- Farnborough State School
- Geebung Special School
- Lowood State School
- Chevallum State School
- Rosedale State School
Northern Territory
- Maningrida Community Education School
Western Australia
- Manning Primary School
- Rostrata Primary School
- Spearwood Alternative School
- East Maddington Primary School
- Westfield Park Primary School
- Harmony Primary School
- Belmont Primary School
- Tuart Hill Primary School
New South Wales
- Hay Public School
- Forbes North Public School
- Murringo Public School
- Burrumbuttock Public School
- Oaklands Central School
- Bungwahl Public School
- Numeralla Public School
- Black Hill Public School
Tasmania
- Acton Primary School
- Flinders Island School
The next round of grants for schools wanting to be involved in the program is expected to open in mid-2009, with further funding rounds in 2010 and 2011.
For more information about the national Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, see http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/kitchengarden.
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