March 28, 2024

Student Led Initiative Begins at Whiteknact

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Have you ever heard of a “Share Table?” Well, we learned about the “Share Table” idea from an article that we read in class. We read about a school in Florida who noticed that a lot food was being wasted. So, instead of throwing food into the trash, they allowed students to place unwanted food items onto a “Share Table.” Only food items from the school lunch program were placed on the table. The food items had to be in a sealed package and they did not allow items that needed to be refrigerated. Kids don’t always love all of the lunch items. For example, someone may not like carrots. This person will probably throw their bag of carrots away. The “Share Table” gives them the option of leaving that perfectly good bag of carrots for a carrot-loving student to enjoy.

We got to thinking that we should start a “Share Table” of our own! Why start a “Share Table?” Let’s start with the issue of waste! Too many kids throw away perfectly good food! We will cut down on our trash while feeding more kids! It’s also a known fact that it is hard for students to focus when they are hungry. Did you know that all students receive the same sized lunch? A fifth-grader gets the exact same sized lunch as a kindergartener. Sometimes the lunch is too much for a little kindergartner and not enough for a hungry fifth-grader! With a “Share Table,” we are really hoping to see more empty trash cans and less hungry students.

There are obviously some rules and guidelines when it comes to having a “Share Table.” We must make sure that everything is packaged and doesn’t need refrigeration. We also need to make sure that everything is clearly marked and organized so it is an allergy-friendly place for all students to visit. It is important to note that the Food and Drug Administration has made it very clear that they support the “Share Table” idea.

We are extremely excited to start our very own Whiteknact Share Cart! We have been planning for it during our Morning Meetings. Our Whiteknact Share Cart will operate just like the “Share Table” described, but it will be on wheels. If any food remains on the cart at the end of the day, we will be taking the cart around to the classrooms, offering it to students to take as “to go” items. We hope to have our “Whiteknact Share Cart” up and running by March.

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  • cristinella

    Way to go Whiteknact students! It is great to see that food get eaten and not thrown in the trash! What a great lesson for the younger students to learn about sharing vs. wasting perfectly fine food. Keep up the good work, and showing everyone your Whiteknact Pride! ☺

    Friday, March 2, 2018 Report this

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