BRUIN — Pineapple Day on Nov. 15 at Bruin and Sugarcreek elementary schools was years in the making.

It’s not just that the day’s events in the Karns City area schools took planning and coordination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture started the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for elementary schools several years ago to teach students about healthy snacking.

“They do enjoy having them,” Gregg Paladina, principal of both schools, said about his students’ snacking on fruits and vegetables. “They tell me which ones they like and which ones they want again.”

Children also tell their parents about their experiences and point out which fruits and vegetables they want to eat when they go grocery shopping, Paladina said.

“It not only helps at school; it starts a dialogue at home. It gives them insight into a whole new level of nutrition,” he said.

The program was launched in the 2002-03 school year as a pilot in four states. Pennsylvania joined in 2004 when the program was aimed at secondary schools, and Karns City high school participated.

Now, its focus has shifted to elementary schools to promote a healthy lifestyle, Paladina said.

“It’s been a wonderful experience for us,” he said. “Mrs. Traister deserves all the credit.”

Sandra Traister, the district’s food service director, applied for the program grant this year.

“It’s a competitive grant,” Traister said. “Any elementary school can apply, but those with at least 50 percent of students in the free and reduced lunch program are more likely to be funded.”

The elementary schools received $28,735 for 435 students, which is enough to give each of them a fresh fruit or vegetable snack three times a week, valued at about $50 to $75 per student a year, Traister said.

Unfortunately, the school’s inclusion in the program is because of the tough economy. When the district applied two years ago, it was turned down because of the low numbers of students who received free and reduced price lunches.

Now it has enough students who qualify for the program.

This year, these are the only schools that received the grant in Butler County.

Traister uses seasonally available fruits and vegetables, buying many from the Leicher Family Farm Market in Chicora. The Leichers grow a variety of fruits and vegetables and buy others from the Strip District in Pittsburgh.

So far, children have snacked on apples, bananas, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, pears, pineapples, plums and raspberries.

On Pineapple Day, Bruin students gathered in their cafeteria for an all-school assembly, many wearing yellow shirts. One group led a pineapple cheer.

“Go Pineapples! Pine a-p-p-l-e-s! Go Pineapples! Pine a-p-p-l-e-s!” Traister said.

In addition, Barry and Dorothy Leicher talked to the students about pineapples. They told the students what to look for when selecting a pineapple and how to cut and serve one, she said.

On that day, students received fresh pineapple for their snack, and had the opportunity to ask questions.

These are the goals of the program:

• To create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices;

• To expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience;

• To increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption; and,

• To make a difference in children’s diets to impact their present and future health.

Nutrition education is mandatory. Although the jam-packed elementary school schedule initially posed a problem for teachers, that obstacle has been overcome, Paladina said.

For example, students celebrated Johnny Appleseed Day in September and snacked on apples. They learned about bananas during a social studies class about Mexico. Pumpkins were brought in for Halloween when their nutritional value was explained, he said.

As successful as the program has been at Bruin and Sugarcreek elementary schools, it’s not surprising that it is growing nationwide.

For this school year, the USDA allocated $101 million to schools in the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. That amount is scheduled to increase to $150 million for the 2011-12 school year.