Hospital Awards Charter School Grant for Student Nutrition Projects

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla., June 8, 2017 On May 22, the Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation awarded the Burns Science and Technology Charter School in Oak Hill a $1,600 grant to support their student nutrition and physical education projects. There is already an edible garden at the charter school that students work in during science classes and middle school agriculture electives. However, the grant from the Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation will help fund an expansion for the garden Students are now producing garden-to-table snacks, food for the salad bar, and some food for hot meals. They take pride in planting bean or lettuce seeds, nurturing seeds into a healthy plant, monitoring the growth, and feeling the excitement of the harvest. However, the greatest reward is eating the tasty, fresh salad bar, vegetable lasagna or pizza, and fresh green beans on their lunch plate, said Jan McGee, Burns Science and Technology Charter School principal. Since interest in the gardens has grown, these funds will help us expand the aquaponics and add raised bed gardens, as well as purchase seeds, organic fertilizer, hydroponic nutrients, and organic pesticides and fungicides. Additionally, the grant funds will also be used to purchase a Vita-Max Pro. Teacher Shanna White teaches plant-based nutrition and demonstrates its importance via healthy snacks and smoothies. With the grant, White will use the blender to create more tasty treats for students to sample while learning how to replace common processed foods containing high fructose levels with healthier, more natural choices. The remaining grant funds will be used to rebuild a field equipment shed that was destroyed during Hurricane Matthew. The shed will be used to save time and assist with organization during the students weekly physical education class led by coach Chris Lickfield. He uses FitnessGram software to challenge all students and records their progress, while the Adventure to Fitness and the EDGE curriculum helps students learn the connection between academic success, good health and physical fitness. These three programs work together to continually reinforce our focus on how being healthy can impact students they'll feel better, attend school more regularly, think more clearly, and perform better academically, said McGee. We are so thankful for these grant funds from the Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation, as these dollars will help enhance our health and wellness program. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to contribute to such a wonderful project that will convey the importance of health to children at such a young age, said Jean Tauber, Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation grants chairperson. In August, the school will have 450 students enrolled and we hope these funds will help make a difference in the experience and nutrition of the Burns student body. The Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation has undertaken an initiative to improve the health of the community through a community grants program. The hospitals foundation will provide community grants to organizations dedicated to improving the health of the community. Organizations interested in applying should contact the Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation office at Call386-424-5015. About Florida Hospital New Smyrna Florida Hospital New Smyrna is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 45 hospital campuses and 8,200 licensed beds in nine states, serving more than 5 million patients annually. With a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, Florida Hospital New Smyrna has 112-beds and is one of the seven Florida Hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties that composes the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region. As the largest hospital system in the area, the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region has 1,226 beds and more than 7,800 employees. For more information about Florida Hospital New Smyrna, visit www.FHNewSmyrna.org. Photo Caption: On May 22, the Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation awarded the Burns Science and Technology Charter School in Oak Hill a $1,600 grant to support their student nutrition projects. From left to right: Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation chairman Pat Driver, Burns Science and Technology Charter School fitness coach Shanna White, Burns Science and Technology Charter School physical education director Chris Lickfield, Florida Hospital New Smyrna Foundation grants chairperson Jean Tauber, and Burns Science and Technology Charter School principal Ann McGee.