OKLAHOMA CITY -- More than 800 Oklahoma schools recently applied for federal funding to upgrade their kitchen equipment, but only 200 received money. Those schools will now share $1.5 million in economic stimulus funding aimed at improving child nutrition.
OK State Superintendent Sandy Garrett says more than half of the state's 367,000 students who eat school meals every day qualify for free or reduced meals. District officials say the money is desperately needed to keep up with those rising numbers.
At Oklahoma City's Parkview Elementary, Mid-Del Schools Nutrition Director Kevin Ponce shows us cafeteria equipment that is close to 50 years old. So he's thrilled that a milk cooler at Highland Park Elementary will soon be replaced with a new one, costing $2,689.
Ponce says kitchen maintenance is expensive and when equipment breaks down, the students' health might pay the price. "We may not have enough space to store the food, so we have to improvise or modify our menu," Ponce says, "so instead of more of fresh fruits and vegetables, we may have to look into canned fruit."
Garrett says part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture criteria used for deciding which schools received money was based on poverty numbers.
"Those are the areas that many times have a hard time passing a bond issue to upgrade their kitchen." Garrett says school kitchens are an underserved area of bond issues, which receive virtually no money from the state legislature.
Using federal guidelines, the Department of Education wanted to upgrade equipment where it was needed most.
"We know healthy bodies bring healthy minds and strong minds," Garrett says.
That money will be allocated this summer and Garrett says the new equipment should be ready to use by the time school starts this fall.
For a complete list of where that money is going, see the link on this story.
Contact KFOR News directly by clicking here if you would like to submit a news story tip or suggestion.
Copyright 2009 KFOR-TV-DT. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
OK State Superintendent Sandy Garrett says more than half of the state's 367,000 students who eat school meals every day qualify for free or reduced meals. District officials say the money is desperately needed to keep up with those rising numbers.
At Oklahoma City's Parkview Elementary, Mid-Del Schools Nutrition Director Kevin Ponce shows us cafeteria equipment that is close to 50 years old. So he's thrilled that a milk cooler at Highland Park Elementary will soon be replaced with a new one, costing $2,689.
Ponce says kitchen maintenance is expensive and when equipment breaks down, the students' health might pay the price. "We may not have enough space to store the food, so we have to improvise or modify our menu," Ponce says, "so instead of more of fresh fruits and vegetables, we may have to look into canned fruit."
Garrett says part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture criteria used for deciding which schools received money was based on poverty numbers.
"Those are the areas that many times have a hard time passing a bond issue to upgrade their kitchen." Garrett says school kitchens are an underserved area of bond issues, which receive virtually no money from the state legislature.
Using federal guidelines, the Department of Education wanted to upgrade equipment where it was needed most.
"We know healthy bodies bring healthy minds and strong minds," Garrett says.
That money will be allocated this summer and Garrett says the new equipment should be ready to use by the time school starts this fall.
For a complete list of where that money is going, see the link on this story.
Contact KFOR News directly by clicking here if you would like to submit a news story tip or suggestion.
Copyright 2009 KFOR-TV-DT. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
