The Harrisonburg City School Board meeting on October 7, 2025, featured a presentation by Heather Yudze, the director of school nutrition, highlighting initiatives for Farm to School Week and upcoming events aimed at promoting healthy eating among students.

Yudze announced that this week marks Farm to School Week, during which the school district is working to enhance partnerships with local farmers. She emphasized the importance of incorporating local produce into school menus, mentioning that apples from Showalter's Orchard in Timberville, Virginia, will be featured. The program aims to increase the availability of fresh, local foods in school lunches.

A key event during this week is the "Crunch Heard Around the Commonwealth," scheduled for October 9. This annual event encourages schools across Virginia to celebrate local foods and healthy eating by collectively crunching into apples. Yudze expressed excitement about the event, which aims to raise awareness of Virginia's agricultural products and support local farmers.

Looking ahead, Yudze also shared details about National School Lunch Week, which will take place next week. This year's theme, "Around the World," will showcase a variety of international foods on the school menu, reinforcing the idea that healthy eating can be enjoyable and beneficial for academic success.

The meeting concluded with Yudze thanking the board for their support of the nutrition program, which seeks to introduce students to new foods and promote healthy eating habits.