Thirteen elementary school students’ art pieces have been chosen for the North Carolina Farm to School 2021-2022 calendar. This marks the 11th year for the popular contest.
“Every year when I see the Farm to School calendar, I admire the creativity of our students, and I also appreciate their knowledge and understanding of North Carolina agriculture,” said Agricultural Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It is important for children to learn that food starts on a farm. This contest is put on through the sponsorship of the N.C. Grange and our N.C. Farm to School Program, which delivers more than $1 million in local produce and meat products to schools across the state. This year we received more than 1,800 entries into the competition.”
The Farm to School program began in 1997 as a collaborative effort of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Food Distribution and Marketing divisions. The two divisions work together to secure orders from child nutrition directors and then source and deliver locally grown fruits and vegetables for school lunch programs.
Winners receive a $50 gift card sponsored by the N.C. Farm to School Cooperative and the School Nutrition Association of N.C. The winners of the calendar contest and the month their artwork will represent are as follows:
Cover: Third-grader Aiden Skinner from Sam D. Bundy School, Pitt County. Teacher is Anyssa Carpening.
August: Kindergartener Gabriella Carr from the N.C. Virtual Academy, Durham County. Teacher is Kerrie Brown.
September: Second-grader Aryan Pampatwar from Benvenue Elementary, Nash County. Teacher is Samantha Guy.
October: Fourth-grader Revant Pandey from Barringer Academic Center, Mecklenburg County. Teacher is Eva Nolan.
November: Fifth-grader Gracen Luke Walker from Community Public Charter School, Gaston County. Teacher is Teresa Rhyne.
December: Fifth-grader Celine Tendo from Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary, Brunswick County. Teacher is Theresa Reiter
January 2022: Fifth-grader Keira O’Neill from Dilworth Elementary, Mecklenburg County. Teacher is Jamie Speice
February 2022: Third-grader Imelda Hernandez from Excelsior Classical Academy, Durham County. Teacher is An Vargas.
March 2022: Fourth-grader Sophia Elks from Chicod Elementary, Pitt County. Teacher is Kathy Bello.
April 2022: First-grader Alice Lewis fromVanceboro Farm Life Elementary, Craven County. Teacher is Kelsey Marks.
May 2022: Third-grader Elaine Simons from New Hope Elementary, Wilson County. Teacher is Jeanine Kittinger.
June 2022: Kindergartener Anika Sreedeep from Morrisville Elementary, Wake County. Teacher is Monica Moore.
July 2022: First-grader Camila Rosales from Oakhurst STEAM Academy, Mecklenburg County. Teacher is Kaitlyn Linscheid.
The contest was open to elementary students across the state. Limited numbers of the calendars will be available through participating school systems before the start of the school year. Additional copies will be available at NCDA&CS on a first-come, first-served basis, and printer-friendly versions will be available online at www.ncfarmtoschool.com.
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