October 14, 2025 – Fifth graders at Hawthorne Elementary joined schools across the state on Monday for the annual Crunch Off, celebrating Farm-to-School Month and the power of local produce.

During lunch, students bit into fresh, Missouri-grown apples, thanks to a grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) that helps connect schools with locally sourced fruits and vegetables.

While it’s a lighthearted challenge, the message behind the event is serious: healthy eating and local agriculture matter. Each participating school helps students and community members gain a deeper understanding of the food system, the value of fresh foods, and the impact of supporting farmers close to home.

“Events like this are a fun way to help students think about where their food comes from,” said Joyce Fenner, Food Service Director for Mexico Public Schools. “Our food service staff works hard every day to serve nutritious meals, and this event showcases those efforts while supporting Missouri farmers.”

The Crunch Off is a friendly, multi-state competition among schools across the Mountain Plains region (including Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana) to see which state can record the most “crunches” into local produce—whether it’s apples, carrots, celery, or cucumbers.

The district will report its participation to DESE, which will tally Missouri’s “crunch count” toward the national total. Final results will show which states had the most people take part in this healthy, homegrown celebration.