Local student Emmalyn Rathbone wins N.C. Farm to School calendar art contest
Published 5:43 pm Monday, June 5, 2017
- Emmalyn Rathbone, a third grader at Polk Central, participated with over 2,000 kindergarten through fifth grade students statewide in an art project organized by art teacher Mr. Michael Darpino. Emmalyn’s original artwork was chosen as one of 13 winners of the 2017-2018 NC Farm to School Calendar, which feature facts about agriculture in our state. Emmalyn and her family attended the winners award reception in Raleigh on May 19. (photos submitted by April Crowder)
Thirteen elementary school students’ art pieces have been chosen for the North Carolina Farm to School 2017-2018 calendar. The art of Emmalyn Rathbone, a third-grader at Polk Central Elementary in Polk County, was chosen for the month of January 2018.
The Farm to School program began in 1997 as a collaborative effort of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Food Distribution and Marketing divisions. The two divisions work together to secure orders from child nutrition directors and then source and deliver locally grown fruits and vegetables for school lunch programs.
During the 2016-2017 school year, the program generated nearly $1.3 million with participation by 79 school districts statewide.
“The judges had an outstanding selection of artwork to choose from with more than 2,000 entries,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It is interesting to see agriculture from their perspective, and I am proud they are learning more about where their food comes from, and that agriculture and agribusiness is North Carolina’s leading industry.”
The contest was open to all public elementary students across the state. Limited numbers of the calendars will be available through participating school systems before the start of the school year.
– article submitted by Andrea Ashby