Vegetable Contest 2026–27

Pennsylvania School Student Contest

Creating a State Symbol - State Fungi and Vegetable

Contest 2026/2027

Parents and Educators, This year’s State Vegetable Contest continues our commitment to integrating health, agriculture, and civic learning into the classroom. Students use their voices to promote healthy eating while exploring science and social studies concepts aligned with Pennsylvania standards, including the legislative process, state symbols, and the study of native plants and fungi. This interdisciplinary approach builds knowledge of nutrition, agriculture, and civic engagement through hands-on learning while developing research, communication, and advocacy skills. . continues our commitment to integrating health, agriculture, and civic learning into meaningful classroom experiences. The contest provides students with opportunities to use their voices to promote the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables while engaging in science and social studies instruction. Activities align with Pennsylvania academic standards by exploring the legislative process, state symbols, and the origins and characteristics of plants as students research and advocate for a native Pennsylvania vegetable or fungus. Through this interdisciplinary approach, students strengthen their understanding of nutrition, agriculture, and civic engagement while developing research, communication, and advocacy skills. Creative displays to accompany a written draft proposal are welcome. Multiple presentation formats are encouraged to support diverse learning styles. Students may submit entries individually or in small groups.

Public and private partners across Pennsylvania are working to reduce health disparities, promoting wellness and health as a priority. Pennsylvania also has a State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). Healthy Community Lifespaces participates in a SHIP work group focused on creating environments that support healthy priorities, student engagement, and collaboration across sectors to integrate health into projects, programs, and policies. Research consistently shows that communities achieve better health outcomes when health is woven into all environments— policies, agencies, and curriculum. Thank you for joining us in building a healthier community for all children.

For more information on the Pennsylvania SHIP: pagov/en/health/documents/topics/do https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp- cuments/ship/SHIP_2023-2028.pdf

Pennsylvania School Student contest

Creating a State Symbol - State Fungi & Vegetable Contest

First prizes

are several $25 dollar scholarships towards the student winners to participate in a physical fitness activity of their choice.

Honorable mention

2nd and 3 rd place prizes -Bike helmet or water bottle –

HCL will facilitate the winners to talk with State legislators to pass the legislation for their chosen Fungi Find out more or vegetable. A fruit is currently being considered.

Official Rules

Students in Grades 4- 7 can enter with parent and teacher permission. ●

Contest students must submit a proposal for a vegetable and/or a fungi to be a State symbol. ● The proposal should include: Vegetables or Fungi with the most health benefits. ● Most native to Pennsylvania or that all Pennsylvanians will have access to eat. ● Reasons why Pennsylvanians should eat this fungi or vegetable(s). ● Reasons why we should have fungi and vegetables as a state symbol. ●

Basic contest Rubric

Feature 4 3 2 1 Score Strong Developing Emerging Beginning Ideas Informative with clear focus Develops a focus Attempts focus Lacks focus and and supporting reason for Uses some descriptive Ideas not fully development choice of fruit or vegetable language developed Details support idea Communicates original ideas Organization Establishes a strong Attempts an adequate Some evidence of a Little or no beginning, middle, and end introduction and ending beginning, middle, and organization Demonstrates an orderly flow Evidence of logical end Relies on single idea of ideas sequencing Sequencing is attempted Expression Uses effective language Diverse word choice Limited word choice No sense of sentence Uses high-level vocabulary Uses descriptive words Basic sentence structure/ in speech Use of sentence variety Sentence variety structure/speech if presented as video

Email entry to Healthy Community Lifespaces ( or arrange pick up or mailing) to Healthycommunitylifespaces@gmail.com

Contest entries should be received by January 31, 2027 ●

Student Name: Email to send contest results: Teacher School Grade Parent permission: By signing this Consent Form, you understand and agree that the student-project intends to give an unlimited license to Healthy Community Lifespaces to, at a minimum, use the student’s submitted project for publication, advertising, or any other purpose related to furthering the goals of Healthy Community Lifespaces and promoting healthy lifestyles. Additionally, you understand, acknowledge, and agree that the student name, grade, and/or school may be associated with the submitted project

whenever it is displayed. If your child wins, I agree to use the prize money towards participation in a physical activity in my community and I take responsibility for any and all liability including liability pertaining to transportation to and from the activity should my child win the contest.

___________________________________________________________________________________ Parent signature Contact HCL with any questions or for lesson plan on civil engagement and health ● Power point – https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1L-arckn4z- B03OAYzzG2rz9vAruu7DmPj1ET8B3FIXQ/edit?usp=sharing Lesson plan- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jh5W0rZnPH9v81KJsaM5o2a0Z- hKag0O/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104096949007092993695&rtpof=true&sd=true In Collaboration to make Pennsylvania a healthy environment for all children, Dr. Marianne Infante, M.Ed., OTD HCL Healthy Community Lifespaces healthycommunitylifespaces@gmail.com 610-505-0515

Have a healthy day! Get involved in making your local student wellness policy in line with the PA state model wellness plan PSBA Local School Wellness Policy Template