St. John Bosco Catholic High School in the Wellington Catholic District School Board was awarded a $25,000 prize to go towards their fight to address student hunger.

The Guelph high school was one of five finalists for the largest-ever Oak Tree Project prize and will use the funds to expand their school’s nutrition program.

“Having a hot and nutritious meal each and every day and someone there to support [students] in eating will change lives — and I legitimately mean that,” said St. John Bosco principal Kellie Angerilli. “There are some kids that are not coming [to school] for academics, they are coming because they are going to have a meal.”

The school already employs a nutritionist for a small part of the day but the funds from the Oak Tree Project award will allow them to employ a nutrition coach full-time and to also broaden the nutrition program.

“Now I am going to expand that to allow her to do the grocery shopping, prepare the food and also work individually with parents and students on creating meal plans, recipes and programming around nutrition that they can take home as well,” said principal Angerilli.

St. John Bosco currently serves a free breakfast, lunch and snacks each day to all of its approximately 100 students.

Please join us in congratulating St. John Bosco Catholic High School on their win and thanking them for their efforts in working towards ending hunger in their community.