LIIDLLI KUE/FORT SIMPSON - One Deh Cho school has initiated a new event as part of its work to promote healthy eating among students.

Nylaina Tsetso takes her pick from among the vegetables and fruits provided to students during the Bompas Elementary School's first nutrition fair on March 31. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Bompas Elementary School in Fort Simpson held its first nutrition fair on March 31. During the event, all of the school's students gathered in the gym wearing white T-shirts they had decorated with the words "nutrition leader" and drawings of healthy foods.

The students did some exercises, shared some healthy eating tips they learned and then sang grace before digging into platters of a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and cheeses.

The fair was the culmination of a month focused on healthy eating at the school, said Val Gendron, the Class 1 teacher who organized the event.

March is nutrition month in Canada and following that theme teachers at Bompas normally plan lessons around helping students learn healthy eating habits, Gendron said. Students in Classes 1 to 3 made posters on healthy snacks and displayed them at the fair.

Each student researched what was healthy about the snack they'd chosen. For example, a cup of kiwis or peppers has more Vitamin C than a cup of oranges, said Gendron.

Students in the older classes did similar posters but compared a healthy snack to a non-healthy one providing information on each.

The lessons students learn during the month stay with them, Gendron said. Students still talk about last year's lesson on what builds healthy bones.

The students are also putting the lessons into practice.

"If we make fruit trays, they totally eat them," she said.

In fact, if a tray of fruit and vegetables is put out beside one filled with cookies the fruits and vegetables go faster, said Gendron.

Although the school focuses on nutrition every March, the fair is something new.

"It's to increase awareness about what kids are eating and that healthy food grows healthy brains," she said.

While sitting on the gym floor enjoying the fruits, vegetables and milk donated by the Northern Store, students easily shared some of their new knowledge between mouthfuls.

Although there weren't any at the fair kiwis are Shaznay Waugh's favourite healthy snack.

"They're healthy and they taste really good," she said.

Waugh, 8, said she's learned that people should eat lots of nutritious foods like fruits.

Pineapple is Alisha Hardisty-Isaiah's favourite fruit while celery is her favourite vegetable.

"Fruits and vegetables are good for you," she said.

Hardisty-Isaiah, 8, also learned that milk makes bones stronger

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