Gardner Edgerton Unified School District 231 and Dodge City USD 443 have received the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Turnip the Beet award for the 2022 program year. 

The Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors across the nation that work hard to offer high-quality meals to children that are appetizing, appealing and nutritious during the summer months. 

High-quality summer meals provide daily energy and help make sure children and healthy and ready to learn when they return to school in the fall. 

FNS recognized 98 summer meal sponsors with Turnip the Beet awards for excellence in program year 2022. Thirty-one sponsors, including Gardner Edgerton USD 231, qualified for a gold award. Fifty-four sponsors, including Dodge City USD 443, qualified for a silver award, and 13 qualified for a bronze award. 

All Summer Meal Program sponsors in good standing, including Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option (SSO) sponsors, are eligible for a Turnip the Beet Award.  

Sponsors can self-nominate or can be nominated by another party. USDA’s Food and Nutrition then evaluates and scores the nominations. Nominations must clearly illustrate how the meals are appetizing, appealing and nutritious. 

For the summer of 2021, Gardner Edgerton and Wamego USD 320 received silvers in the program. Haven USD 312 received gold.