Michelle Obama's backyard garden — which she planted at the White House with the help of local elementary schoolchildren — certainly wasn't the first of its kind, but it did help draw national attention to a growing trend: providing kids in school with better nutrition through fresh produce. Here in Summit County, just like everywhere else, achieving that goal is not always as easy as it sounds. There are roadblocks in set policies, the question of whose responsible for such endeavors; and, as always, a lack of sufficient funds.

But, that doesn't mean our community is lacking in efforts — from groups both outside and within the schools — to provide Summit County kids with fresher produce. One of the biggest promoters of such endeavors is the Summit Prevention Alliance, a local nonprofit dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles in the county. Members of the alliance founded the Physical Activity & Nutrition Team of the Summit, or PANTS, a coalition made up of parents and health professionals in the community that promotes healthy and active lifestyles. The alliance also helped found — along with the High Country Conservation Center —the Food Policy Council, which advocates growing and acquiring healthy, sustainable food to serve the hungry and educate the community. The SPA has also acquired grant funding from LiveWell Colorado — a Denver nonprofit committed to reducing obesity — for wellness committees within the schools. The committees are made up of parents and staff, and promote healthy foods and activities in the schools. So far, Summit Middle school and Silverthorne, Frisco, Dillon Valley and Upper Blue elementaries all have a task force.

“In the public eye, they don't see all the great things the school nutritional programs are doing,” said Terri Lloyd-Jones, dietitian for Chartwells schools in the West, the food service company that designs Summit County's school food program. She said the addition of more fresh vegetables, fruit and whole grains has already made a “humongous” change in school meals in the last 20 years, and that new regulations coming soon from the USDA will require the addition of even more fruits and veggies.

Michael Burgess, food service director for the school district, said the district tries to work with outside groups, and even meets with members of PANTS and the SPA once a month. He said the high cost of fresh produce is always an issue.

“From my experience, both these groups have been great to have — they understand the complexity of what we're working with, like financial barriers. There's only so much we can do. They're a great mediator.”

He said the district has been working with the groups to push for more food education at home, so children are more apt to try leafy greens, like spinach, when it's offered.

“There's certain times throughout the year we do try to buy locally, but we still get it through our main distributor, which is Sysco,” Burgess said. “The issue with buying local is that you need to have a lot of assurance from the company, in case there's a recall. There are a lot of parameters that we still need to meet.”

The first step

While Joanna Rybak, community prevention coordinator for the SPA, said the school lunch program has improved significantly in the past few years, she said existing meals can always be enhanced with fresh, local produce. In fact, SPA's most recent — and most significant — success is a new greenhouse being built this summer at Dillon Valley Elementary. Rybak said it will be shared by the school and members of the community, and planting will begin in spring of 2012. The project is being funded by LiveWell and the SPA.

“There's so many components and benefits of having a greenhouse at a school,” she said.

DVE principal Shelly Martinez said staff, parents and students are all “very excited.” She said students will be involved in the planting and nurturing of produce. Children will learn about and snack on fresh veggies, and use herbs to season cafeteria food.

“To have kids be a part of the process is very exciting,” Martinez said. “We definitely want to think of as many ways as possible to get that locally grown food to our students. I know we're going to learn so much.”

Rybak said the greenhouse will only operate for part of the year at first, because the organizations don't currently have the funds for year-round water usage. But, the goal is to eventually grow throughout the year.

“It's a first step in really bringing in local produce into the cafeteria on a bigger level,” she said.

Rybak said she's already received inquires from a number of parents and school staff regarding funding for other school gardens. She said SPA currently doesn't have the money for other endeavors, but other schools could follow DVE's lead through fundraising and grant funding.

“If we could really get this up and running — if Dillon Valley could be our gold standard — then it will be so much easier for the other elementary schools to follow,” she said. “If we could have all eight schools in Summit County experimenting with growing their own food, on one level or another, that would be really cool.”