11/18/09

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ An official from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture will be in Idaho to recognize Gooding Elementary School
for efforts to improve the health, nutrition and fitness of
students.

Deputy undersecretary Janey Thornton is scheduled to attend a
ceremony at the school Thursday.

Gooding Elementary is the first school in the nation to earn the
USDA's Healthier School Challenge Gold of Distinction Award, which
Thornton says is the agency's highest honor for elementary schools.

Gooding Superintendent Heather Williams told the Times-News that
earning the award required hard work.

The district, which buys as much food locally as possible and
teaches elementary students to read food labels, has also
reinstated physical education requirements for graduation.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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