Florence 1 Schools was recently recognized as a Top 10 School Food Authority at the 2026 School Nutrition Association of South Carolina (SNA of SC) Annual Conference. The recognition included a plaque and an additional grant to support the district’s culinary program, presented to team members Jamie Lane and Rivers Byrd.
Florence 1 participates in the Certified SC Cafeteria program, an initiative of the South Carolina Department of Agriculture that encourages school districts to incorporate locally grown fruits and vegetables into their menus. Earlier this year, the district received a $15,000 grant through that program to purchase produce for the school cafeterias.
“Being recognized as a Top 10 School Food Authority is a wonderful honor, but our focus has always been our students,” said interim resident district manager Rivers Byrd. “Through the Certified SC Cafeteria program, our students have had the opportunity to enjoy more fresh, healthy foods that are South Carolina-grown and can help them be ready to learn and succeed in our classrooms. That is a win for our students, as well as a win for South Carolina farmers.”
The district’s success with this program earned it a spot among the Top 10 Certified SC Cafeteria Awards recipients, along with the additional $5,000 to purchase more locally grown produce.
"We were given a challenge to buy more locally grown fruits and vegetables to serve our students, and we never turn down a challenge to put our students' nutrition first,” Jamie Lane said.
One way Florence 1 features fresh, local produce is through Harvest of the Month, with fresh, delicious, and nutritious produce on the lunch lines in a tasty dish that families can make at home each month. Families can find the quick and easy Harvest of the Month recipes on The Farm at Florence 1’s website, farm.f1s.org/hotm.
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Florence 1 Schools
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