The School Nutrition Association of North Carolina (SNA-NC) held its annual conference June 14-18, at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. More than 800 child nutrition professionals from across North Carolina participated in training activities, competed in culinary arts contests and visited the Greensboro Children’s Museum to learn about bringing the garden harvests into the school. The goal of the conference was to better equip Child Nutrition employees to serve children when they return to school in the fall.

Lois Hood Child Nutrition Director of the Richmond County Schools Chapter was recognized and installed as President of School Nutrition Association of North Carolina. Richmond County was well represented at the annual conference with 11 managers attending the conference and enjoyed three days of training to meet the needs of their job and to enable them to serve students healthy nutritious meals. Lois’ theme for the 2010-2011 school year is “Seize the Day, Serving up a Healthier You.”

The theme of the conference was “School Nutrition: A Star in Education.” SNA-NC, a state affiliate of the School Nutrition Association, joined child nutrition professionals across the country in supporting legislation to support reauthorization of the National School Lunch Program. This mission of SNA-NC, established in 1946, is to promote the health and education of children through local school nutrition programs.

The local, state and national associations are actively involved in affecting public policy to insure that the health and nutrition interests of children are protected. Association members work to improve school meal programs by publicizing the nutrition benefits of school meals, being an advocate for local, state and national policies that expand and enhance child nutrition programs and providing professional resources to increase the nutrition, business, culinary and food safety skills of child nutrition professionals.