The Louisiana Farm to School Program recognized the Calcasieu Parish School Board Farm to School (F2S) team for successful completion of the inaugural cohort of the Louisiana F2S Institute. Cecilia Stevens, F2S Institute program manager for the LSU AgCenter, was on hand to present the award at the Tuesday, Nov. 4, meeting of the Calcasieu Parish School Board.
“The CPSB School Nutrition Program was honored to participate in the Seeds to Success F2S Program,” said CPSB School Nutrition Program Director Dr. Jacqueline Richard. “Farm to School connects the cafeteria, classroom, and community-giving students access to fresh, local foods while teaching them where their food comes from and why it matters.”
The Louisiana F2S Institute teams–composed of educators, nutrition leaders, administrators, school garden coordinators, and community partners–completed a year-long professional learning journey focused on sourcing local food, integrating agricultural and nutrition education, and expanding school gardens and growing projects. Each team developed a tailored action plan outlining specific goals, timelines, and roles. Supporting each team was a dedicated Farm to School coach who provided guidance and resources as the team implemented their action plans within their school communities throughout the school year.
The Calcasieu team involved classrooms, cafeterias, and the school community in their F2S action plan. Teachers from across the district spanning multiple content areas and grade levels began the year with a professional development program focused on implementing F2S practices in the classroom. Student engagement and education took place using fruit and vegetable taste tests and program materials from Harvest of the Month, a program created by Seeds to Success. A major highlight of Calcasieu’s F2S program for 2024-25 was use of $128,164.50 in school cafeteria procurement funds to purchase local food. The F2S team also secured $6500 in F2S program funding, installed multiple school gardens valued at over $6000, and engaged local producers in F2S activities.
Calcasieu Parish’s team included Richard, Leslie Petross, Elizabeth Barron, Summer Rion, Nathalie Miller, and Tareze Sandifer. Barbara Moore was the team’s F2S coach.
The Louisiana Farm to School Institute is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture through the Louisiana Department of Education and supported by the LSU Agricultural Center’s Seeds to Success Program. The Institute’s professional learning model is based on best practices developed by Vermont FEED. The Institute is made possible in part thanks to the generous support of sponsors including Humana, 4Sisters Rice, and Louisiana Farm Bureau.
