Representatives from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Development, as well as the Ohio Beef Council, visited Minerva Local Schools to highlight the district's successful participation in the Farm-to-School Program.
About the Program
Farm to School is a national USDA network that connects schools (from pre-K to college) with local farmers. The program's goals are to:
Provide students with access to fresh, nutritious, locally grown food.
Educate children about agriculture, food, and nutrition.
Support local farmers and communities.
Expose students to career pathways in agriculture and nutrition.
Schools can participate in many ways, such as by serving local foods, planting school gardens, taking farm field trips, or holding classroom lessons on agriculture.
Minerva's Initiatives
During the visit, the team saw several of Minerva's Farm to School programs in action:
At Minerva High School: The Future Farmers of America (FFA) class presented their hydroponic garden, which supplies vegetables and herbs to school staff and the cafeteria.
At Minerva Elementary: Visitors observed students in classrooms participating in Farm to School learning activities.
Local Sourcing: The team met Kynsie Pero, a student from East Canton. The beef from her steer, which was purchased at the Stark County Fair, was served as beef burgers for lunch to the elementary students.
Stacey Bettis, the Minerva Local Nutrition Services Director, praised the "team effort" of the staff and administrators, expressing excitement over seeing students "so involved and engaged" in the learning opportunities.
Farm to School Program Celebrated at Minerva
October 22, 2025