Sam's Club stores in April will be selling ice cream produced by the award-winning City Kidz Food Science Educational Lab, Jacksonville, Fla. City Kidz is a program that teaches food science to high school students. They develop a food, create a marketing program and seek retailers to sell the finished product.

The City Kidz Food Science Educational Lab National Initiative was created because most students in middle school and high school do not realize that food science and food technology careers exist, says program director Clinton Bush. In fact, from 2005-2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., reported that there is a shortage of students pursuing careers in food science and food technology industries, he adds. In that mix, African-Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are seriously underrepresented in this industry and at the post-secondary educational level. In an effort to address this problem, the USDA is offering multi-cultural grants to encourage African-Americans, Latinos and Native Americans to consider pursuing an education and career in food science and food technology.

Fifteen honor students from Jacksonville created the Viva Vanilla ice cream recipe, according to Clinton Bush, the program director.  Proceeds from the sales of the ice cream will be used to help offset the students' educational expenses. Corporate sponsorship partners of City Kidz Food Science

Educational Lab include Winn Dixie Foundation, Wells Fargo, and the David Michael Co. Bush said he seeks additional partners. Contact him at 904- 598-5115.
City Kidz Ice Cream Cafe received a special award in the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product contest in October.

Read more about City Kidz in the June 2011 Dairy Foods.