By Jon Gambrell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cafeteria worker Rose Neeley sorts through a box of pears in the Princeton High School refrigerator Wednesday. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

SHARONVILLE - Two Princeton schools are reaping the fruits - and vegetables - of a new federal pilot program.

Princeton High School and Robert E. Lucas Elementary School received grant money from the Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program. The program allows the schools to purchase fresh or dried fruits and vegetables to offer students as snacks outside their scheduled breakfast and lunches.

The pilot program, part of Farm Bill 2002, used $6 million to fund 100 schools across Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico and Michigan.

Two other schools in the area, Scarlet Oaks Career Development and Summit Country Day in Hyde Park, are also taking part.

Linda Bass-Wiley, Princeton's food services director, said demand for the nutritious snacks has grown since the program started in November. About 400 pounds worth of fruits and vegetables are devoured a week.

Much of the fruit goes to school groups and athletic teams. During the day, fruits and vegetables can be spotted in the guidance office and classrooms.

Thus far, $60,000 of the $220,000 in grants has been spent.

Schools get money based on their student populations. Princeton High School, with its roughly 1,850 students, was the second largest school in Ohio to participate. The high school received $170,000, while the elementary school got $50,000.

The program specifies only that the schools purchase American-grown produce.

U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, supports the program.

"Good nutrition and healthy eating habits are important lessons for our children to learn, and I am hopeful that this program will help achieve that goal."

Dawn Jackson, a Chicago dietitian, said that any program that encourages children to consume more fruits and vegetables is important in light of the nationwide "epidemic of obesity."

"This program could help those students not eating their recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables a day make their diet more nutritious," she said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta estimates 51 percentof the nation's children have less than one serving of fruit a day, while 29 percent eat less than one serving of vegetables that aren't fried.

In the Princeton district, 300 pounds of french fries are still produced a day and there are vending machines in several locations at the schools. But according to Bass-Wiley, with the many healthy choices the food program offers, students are eating better.

Princeton High School senior Errald Jackson said that he looked forward to eating fruit. "It is a good snack and healthy," he said.

The program has also impressed Princeton teachers.

Bill Eifert, a computer technology teacher, recounted catching a student eating during one of his classes. He was surprised to discover the student was snacking on broccoli.

"I don't think I've ever had a student try to eat broccoli on the sly in my class," Eifert wrote. "It's always been candy and sweets before."