Creevy National School are celebrating after they won first prize in the Incredible Edibles primary schools’ horticulture and healthy eating programme.

Ms. Conneely’s third class, from Creevy National School in Ballyshannon showcased their creative food journey in a scrapbook. The class submitted the best end-of-year project to secure top spot in the nationwide schools’ programme.

The Donegal children blew the judges away with the scale and quality of their work. They completed all five tasks; food origin, identifying Irish, planting, cooking and healthy eating, to an impeccable standard.

Biodiversity

The Donegal children showcased a range of biodiversity measures by protecting bees, and composting during the Incredible Edibles programme.

Ms Conneely’s class enjoyed the “Meet the Farmer” in-class webinars hosted by Agri Aware and project sponsors.

The Agri Aware Incredible Edibles programme ran from January to June and had its largest ever participation this year. There were over 76,000 children from 1800 schools across the country that took part.

The third-class pupils from Creevy NS are now ready to harvest and eat some of the fruit and vegetables they have grown in school as part of the programme. All schools who participate in the interactive Agri Aware programme get free grow packs. This allows them to plant, grow and harvest their own fruit and vegetables.

The Agri Aware Incredible Edibles programme helps children learn all about how food gets to their plates while growing their own fruit, vegetables and herbs too.

One of the best!

Eilis Greene, Programme and Events Manager of Agri Aware said:

“Well done to all at Creevy National School, their entry for this year’s Incredible Edibles Programme was quite simply one of the best we have come across.

“The programme has been running for 14 years and continues to grow with this year’s intake of schools the highest ever.

“The growth of the programme is thanks in no small part to our fifteen sponsors who have been brilliant in how they support the initiative every year.”

Oonagh Trehin, Bord Bia Healthy Eating Executive and Chairperson of the Incredible Edibles sponsor committee said:

“Bord Bia are delighted to support the Incredible Edibles programme. Incredible Edibles provides valuable education on horticulture and food origin. It highlights the importance of seasonal fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy diet.

“We were hugely impressed by the effort put in by schools this year, and the standard of projects submitted.
“Well done to all schools who took part and congratulations to the well-deserved winning schools.”

Incredible Edibles is supported by the following sponsors: The Department of Health (Healthy Ireland), Dole Ireland, The Department of Education, safefood, Keelings, Irish Farmers Association, Country Crest, The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, Bord Bia, McCormack Family Farms, Irish National Dietetic Institution, Irish Potato Marketing, and UCC School of Public Health.

To learn more about the project, visit: https://www.agriaware.ie/incredible-edibles-programme/ie-schools/