WCMS students gulp down milk

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.)

Middle school students, from front, T.C. Casteel, Joseph Piazza and Eric Anderson, inspect the milk machine their class runs at the school. (Will Stewart photo)

Vending machine choices at Warren County Middle School got a little bit healthier last week as the school came in possession of milk machine. The machine is now the second one in the school system, which began promoting better health in recent years.

After Hickory Creek Elementary received the first milk machine in the fall, Coordinated School Health Program director Cheryl Kelley expressed an interest in seeing healthful vending choices in all county schools.

She was soon approached by Warren County Farm Bureau officials, who said their organization wanted to help. With a donation from Farm Bureau and grant money from Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, a milk machine, which costs several thousand dollars, was purchased for WCMS.

“We wanted to do what we could to provide a nutritional alternative,” said local Farm Bureau manager Jeff Flatt. “We can’t afford to help all of the schools in the county so we’d like to challenge other businesses and groups to sponsor milk machines in the other schools.”

Kelley voiced excitement about the new machine and pointed out that recent studies indicate the majority of school-age children do not get enough calcium. Additionally, new research suggests a diet rich in calcium can help prevent obesity in children.

While the new machine, located in the school’s related arts building, will benefit the overall health of the student body, it will benefit the minds of students in the class of Larry Thompson. The class is managing the machine and using it to acquire a number of academic and vocation skills.

Thompson said managing the machine, stocking it and collecting all money will not just teach the students such skills as math and accounting, but will also help prepare them for the work world.

“It’s a great opportunity for them to learn a skill. It’s something that maybe they can do for a job after they graduate,” he said.

Since its installation last week, the machine has become quite popular.

Thompson said his class has already made $130 in profits.