[simage=636,400,n,center]

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was at West Elementary in Knoxville Monday, kicking-off National School Lunch Week and praising Knoxville’s commitment to a balance of good nutrition and exercise. Last year, East, West and Northstar elementary schools took steps to eliminate obesity and improve their overall health goals, becoming one of the first districts in Iowa to receive a “Gold” recognition award from the UDSA. Vilsack also heard from teachers, principals, nutrition staff, chefs and others at a round-table, brainstorming ideas on how to make the nutrition system and standards even better.