TALES in Queens became the first vegetarian public school in the history of NYC. How? It was a five-year journey with NYC Healthy School Food Alliance partner Fan4Kids, where teachers taught kids a nutrition education and fitness every week. For Bob Groff, a co-founder and the principal of P.S. 244, and the man who turned his menu meatless, the need for better food was obvious. Kids were drinking neon sugary drinks, eating cheese puffs, losing focus and gaining weight. His students were not alone. Nationwide, one in three children and adolescents is obese or overweight, and childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past 30 years. "There is a strong correlation between academic achievement and student health and nutrition," said Groff. "I wanted to prove that better nutrition could make a difference to students' lives." Read more in this story I wrote about TALES for Food Network.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2014/09/the-vegetarian-elementary-school-thats-changing-more-than-meals