The food service staff across Portage Township Schools dedicate themselves to creating healthy and delicious meals for our students. Now, they have a designation that recognizes their efforts.
National children’s health organization Alliance for a Healthier Generation unveiled its 2026 list of America’s Healthiest Schools, celebrating over 1,300 K-12 schools nationwide for their commitment to advancing whole child health, including each school within Portage Township Schools.
Healthier Generation’s annual award program recognizes schools for implementing evidence-based policies and practices to support academic success and lifelong well-being. Schools are recognized in nine health-related topic areas. Portage Township Schools was awarded in the Improving Nutrition & Food Access category.
PTS is proud to offer the Free Meals for All program, offering breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost to families each school day. Food Service Director Dawn Kelley values serving meals that taste good and are good for you, so she has implemented more offerings of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as increased cooking from scratch in the school kitchens. Student taste tests and surveys help guide her and her team in building menus and selecting new recipes to try.
School and community partnerships further support the district’s efforts to ensure students and families have equitable access to food. Their weekend backpack program, supported by the Porter County Health Department and the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, provides students with nonperishable meals on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the school year. Mobile Markets, hosted at Portage High School by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, provide a selection of grocery items and holiday meals to families each month. Programs like these are supplemented by food pantries run by students and staff at individual schools throughout the district.
Kelley said that the award is a reflection of the hard work and collaboration taking place at the schools to ensure all students have access to delicious and healthy meals.
“Our staff truly understand the positive effects that food access has on learning, “ Kelley said. “Because food can make such a big academic and developmental impact, we strive to make meals that look good, taste good, and are good for you.”
Achieving the America’s Healthiest Schools designation was a team effort, Kelley said, as teachers, food service staff, and administrators from across the district all play a vital role in helping students gain access to healthy meals.
Portage Township Schools superintendent Amanda Alaniz said that being recognized as one of America’s Healthiest Schools not only highlights the work being done across the district, but it emphasizes the importance of continuing to support food access and nutrition.
“Being named one of America’s Healthiest Schools highlights the connection between food access and learning,” Alaniz said. “We are fortunate for Dawn Kelley’s leadership and our staff throughout the district who support our students through healthy meals and access to food.”
Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a leading national nonprofit dedicated to advancing equitable whole child health by creating healthier school environments. The America’s Healthiest Schools award program is supported by Del Monte Foods, Kaiser Permanente, and Kohl’s Cares.