Statesman Station Brings Fresh Food to Marshall High School

George C. Marshall High School and Real Food For Kids hosted a ceremony Thursday morning to celebrate the opening of Statesmen Station, a pilot lunch program featuring a soup, salad and sandwich bar filled with fresh food items. 

Spearheaded by Real Food For Kids and fully supported by the Fairfax County School Board, the opening of the pilot kitchen marks an important milestone in the transformation of school lunches in Fairfax County. Real Food For Kids has worked with the school board and Food and Nutrition Services to increase the quantity of fresh foods served to students.

U.S. Department of Education Director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Students David Esquith praised the school program for being cutting edge and the future of school food in America.

“The successful launch of the Statesmen Station cafe bar at Marshall High School is the result of an enormous collaborative effort,” Real Food for Kids president JoAnne Hammermaster said.

 “We have a very large school district, the 11th largest in the country, so creating change is a complicated process,” she continued. “The school board, the administrators, Marshall’s principal, community leaders, parents and students all worked  together with the belief that given fresh, healthy options, students will learn to make better choices. Countless studies show that eating well helps to promote academic achievement and healthier kids. This pilot program marks an important milestone in that effort for all students.”