Education Minister visits Lac La Biche

Photos provided by Nicole Garner NLSD

The Alberta Education Minister, the Honourable David Eggen, was in Lac La Biche on Monday, visiting two Northern Lights Public Schools; Vera M Welsh and JA Williams High School (JAWS). The Minister got to experience the new “Ready for the Future” school nutrition pilot program initiated by the Alberta Government.

Minister Eggen came to check out how the program is running; which is a little unique compared to other pilot schools, explains Communications Director for Northern Lights Public Schools (NLSD), Nicole Garner, “what we do is, have JAWS’ culinary arts and RAP students make all the food for the 300 plus kids at Vera, everyday.” The food is delivered to the elementary school, “the kids at Vera enjoy a hot, nutritious meal, everyday.”

“It’s a little bit of a different model than what the other school boards in the province are doing,” Garner explains the Minister went to the high school first to see the food being prepared by the students. Minister Eggen then headed over to the elementary school and served the food to the little kids. He was able to chat with the students and discover how much they loved the program.

Minister David Eggen & NLSD Trustee and Admin

JAWS students & Minister Eggen

Minister Eggen serving Vera M Welsh students

Minister Eggen & Vera M Welsh Principal Dana Robb

Best part of the whole program, “it’s absolutely free! Every kid has the opportunity to have the hot lunch,” kids are able to bring food from home if parents (or they) prefer. Garner says some parents were very pleasantly surprised at the effects of the program on their kids, “we’ve had great response from parents and kids.” In some cases parents were very skeptical that their picky eating would eat the food, simply because it was something they won’t eat at home or they don’t like trying new foods, “and the kids has tried food they won’t try at home, or completely cleaned a plate of Shepard’s Pie… something they won’t eat at home,” Garner laughs, in delight, at the positive affects the program is having on everyone. “There’s certainly no hungry tummies!”

There hasn’t been an official announcement to expand the program into other schools, but there was some encouraging words spoken by the Minister that one could intrepid as the 14 pilot program schools may be just the beginning. (LCN has not received any word from the Minister’s office or the Province of Alberta that the program will be expanded).