ATLANTA, GA — Last Thursday, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper joined State Schools Superintendent Richard Woods, Deputy Superintendent of School Nutrition, Dr. Linette Dodson and representatives of the Atlanta Braves to honor more than a dozen outstanding school nutrition professionals from across Georgia in a special on-field presentation at Truist Park prior to the Atlanta Braves-Arizona Diamondbacks game. Each individual was selected for their commitment to providing high-quality, nutritious school meals and fostering relationships and partnerships with the Georgia farmers they source from. Georgia Grown’s Food to School Coordinator, Dr. Fred Rayfield, works closely with the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Division, school districts and school nutrition professionals to build relationships with local farmers and source more Georgia Grown produce and protein.
“I want to congratulate the incredible school nutrition professionals who were recognized last Thursday, and all the school nutrition professionals who work tirelessly to ensure students across our state have access to nutritious, locally sourced food at school,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “Quality nutrition is critical not just for our students’ success in the classroom, but to combat the childhood chronic disease crisis in our country, and we are proud to work with school districts and school nutrition professionals across the state to get more Georgia Grown food in Georgia lunchrooms.”
The Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Division also highlights local excellence through its “Georgia Tray of the Week” campaign, where schools submit photos of their meals and social media users vote for their favorites, promoting creativity and community engagement around school nutrition.
“We are so proud of the school nutrition professionals who were recognized last Thursday by the Atlanta Braves,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “Providing fresh, healthy, locally grown school meals is not an ‘extra’ – it’s a critical part of the school day, and our school nutrition teams are an irreplaceable part of the educational team. The Georgia Department of Education is proud to support local school nutrition teams and to partner with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, local farmers, and other partners to get high-quality, Georgia Grown meals into school cafeterias.”
“On behalf of the Braves, I would like to extend another heartfelt congratulations to the school nutrition professionals who we honored last Thursday. We were proud to partner with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Department of Education to spotlight these individuals from our community who play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of students across Braves Country – something that is a shared value across all of us,” said Jim Allen, Atlanta Braves senior vice president of corporate and premium partnerships. “Whether it be through our in-stadium food products offered or through collaborative community initiatives such this one, the Georgia Department of Agriculture continues to be a trusted partner when best serving our community.”
The following school nutrition professionals were honored at today's event:
- Debbie Robins, Bremen High School, Bremen City Schools
- Joyce Lane, Woodbine Elementary, Camden County
- Loma Chenoweth, Johnston Elementary, Cherokee County
- Aranda Nunn, Commerce High, Commerce City
- Deva Burke, Flat Rock Middle, Fayette County
- Cindy Railey, Upson-Lee High, Thomaston-Upson Schools
- Carolyn Wood, Turner Middle/High, Turner County
- Whitfield County honorees:
- Angie Brown, Nutrition Director, New Hope Middle
- Jennifer Young, North Whitfield Middle
- Cindy Delgadillo, Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy
- Tiffany Smith, Westside Middle
Media assets from last Thursday’s on-field presentation can be found here, courtesy of Atlanta Braves.
This presentation is a part a larger, on-going partnership between the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Atlanta Braves. Since 2018, this partnership has extended to serve local communities through a variety of ways, including serving Georgia Grown products in Truist Park, being a sponsor in this year’s BLOOPER’s HOME Run U school show, which provides an immersive experience allowing students to learn about healthy lifestyles, diet, and exercise, as well as classroom etiquette, in a fun and engaging way, and more.