ZPS Food Service, National Honor Society Partnership Turns Summer Service into Student Learning
Zeeland Public Schools Food Service is finding exciting new ways to connect student learning with important work that keeps district programs running.
The ZPS Food Service department partnered with National Honor Society Advisor and Zeeland East High School teacher Rachel Coussens to give NHS students opportunities to work alongside the department on real-world projects.
The partnership kicked off Aug. 17, when Zeeland East senior Olivia VanderKooy joined the Food Service team during summer meal kit distribution at Quincy Elementary. VanderKooy helped collect data by counting the number of children’s meal kits distributed that day and experienced firsthand the coordination required to get food into the hands of local families.
Before her shift, VanderKooy completed a short questionnaire about what she knew about school kitchens and Food Service. Afterward, she reflected on what she learned, including how Food Service operates within Zeeland Public Schools.
The Summer Food Program at ZPS had a significant local impact. Over 12 weeks this summer, ZPS Nutrition Services distributed weekly meal kits containing seven breakfasts and seven lunches through the Rural Non-Congregate Summer Feeding Program. The program provided approximately 82,180 meals, putting an estimated $180,000 back into family budgets.
The program also kept its impact close to home. Approximately 4,000 pounds of local whole produce, 500 quarts and 1,060 individual produce items were offered during the summer, with partnerships including FarmLink, Woller Shady Lane Farms, Crisp Country Acres, Heidi’s Farm Stand, and Great Lakes Farm to Freezer.
For families, the numbers tell only part of the story. “It helped our family so much to fill in the gaps for mealtime. Everyone was very kind … rain or shine. They made us feel very welcome.”
Another parent shared that their children looked forward to opening the weekly kits “like Christmas morning,” while others appreciated the fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, and other staples that helped stretch family grocery budgets throughout the summer.
And for VanderKooy, there was one extra perk: because summer meal kits were available to anyone age 18 and younger, she could take one home herself, complete with delicious chocolate milk for the week.
VanderKooy’s experience is the first of several planned NHS and Food Service collaborations designed to connect students with career-based learning while making an impact right here in our Zeeland community.
