The Santa Clarita Valley School Food Service Agency hopes to promote the tradition of family mealtime by teaching students how to cook and plan for meals through its 18th Annual Kids Cooking Campaign.

During February and March, five fourth grade classes from the four local school districts with visit the Agency’s Central Kitchen for a field trip to help plan and prepare a meal for their invited guests.

The Agency sees mealtime as an important part of family life that promotes nutrition, good manners and experience in the kitchen, as well as strengthening family bonds.

The campaign began in 1994 as a partnership between the California Department of Education, Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Division, the Dairy Council of California and the American Institute of Wine and Food.

Elementary schools were chosen to promote the Kids’ Cooking Campaign because the Agency believes they serve as a multi-cultural “extended family,” a place where learning and activities impact children, families and the community.

The following teachers have had their classes chosen to participate:

* Elisa Vallejo (Oak Hills Elementary)

* Dulce Morgan (Live Oak Elementary)

* Celeste Gardina (Pinetree Elementary)

* Paulette Oculam (Skyblue Mesa Elementary)

* Tracey Cohn (Highlands Elementary)

For more information about the SCV School Food Service Agency, click [here].