Associated Press - November 18, 2009 6:34 PM ET

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - An official from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be in Idaho to recognize Gooding Elementary School for efforts to improve the health, nutrition and fitness of students.

Deputy undersecretary Janey Thornton is scheduled to attend a ceremony at the school Thursday.

Gooding Elementary is the first school in the nation to earn the USDA's Healthier School Challenge Gold of Distinction Award, which Thornton says is the agency's highest honor for elementary schools.

Gooding Superintendent Heather Williams told the Times-News that earning the award required hard work.

The district, which buys as much food locally as possible and teaches elementary students to read food labels, has also reinstated physical education requirements for graduation.

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