Cloverleaf Schools Food Service Director Carrie Beegle spoke during a June 3 Congressional briefing on the Salad Bars in Schools Expansion Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan.

Since coming to Cloverleaf five years ago, Beegle has worked to increase fresh produce offerings in the district’s cafeterias. In 2011, Cloverleaf was recognized by the Ohio Department of Education as the first school district in Ohio to offer a salad bar for elementary school students. More than 500 students in the 1,200-student building partake in the salad bar each day.

The Cloverleaf food service program caught the attention of Ryan, who includes school nutrition among his top education issues. The Ohio 13th District congressman cites research showing children are more likely to consume healthy fresh food when it is presented on a salad bar.

However, the initial cost of acquiring and managing salad bar equipment is unaffordable for many districts. In fact, Beegle and the Cloverleaf Food Service staff retrofitted used equipment from a closed school building to establish the salad bar at the elementary. Ryan supports the creation of a grant program that would give districts the ability to work with nonprofit entities to promote salad bars in schools and invited Beegle to share Cloverleaf's story.

Beegle has served as Cloverleaf Local Schools Food Service Director since 2010, bringing a wealth of public and private sector experience. She serves as a trainer on behalf of the Ohio Department of Education and provides consulting services to districts around the state. Beegle has been a featured presenter at the annual conferences of the Ohio School Boards Association and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials. She and her husband Greg, an executive chef, live in Norton, Ohio, where they raise their own poultry, pork, honey bees and produce.