Earlier this month, an exciting new, delicious program was celebrated at Tremont Elementary.
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation expanded their National Culinary Education Program to the school for students to learn about the full circle of what’s on their dinner plate and how it got there.
The popular program has partnered with schools throughout the country, including Chicago, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Austin, and New Orleans.
Approximately 41 percent of students at Tremont qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and many of the school’s families face barriers to accessing fresh ingredients.
In 2022, Tremontlaunched its Courtyard Project-Based Learning Initiative, transforming an underused courtyard into a vibrant outdoor classroom featuring garden beds, composting systems and a chicken coop.
“It is the central hub for hands-on science, math, literacy, STEAM, and environmental learning activities,” said a representative for the school district.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only about 1 in 10 children in the United States consume the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables. With the childhood obesity rate affecting one in five school-aged children, on-site gardening programs are essential support systems.
In response to this paucity in fresh produce, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation expanded its national investment in youth education and nutrition with Emeril’s Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen.
Tremont Elementary is the eighth school in the country to implement the Foundation’s signature program, “an immersive model that brings together gardening, nutrition and hands-on culinary education to transform how students learn about food and health. The program is built on four core pillars: helping students understand where food comes from, developing life skills through hands-on learning, teaching the importance of nutrition and healthy eating, and building culinary skills that foster confidence and independence,” said Lagasse.
“Alden and I have always known that food can change a child’s life,” said Emeril Lagasse. “We’re proud to expand this work to Long Island and partner with Tremont Elementary, where students will learn to grow and cook their own food, building confidence and lifelong healthy habits.”
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