A group of adults and children holding cartons of milk, posing together in a school cafeteria. Four children are in the front, with two adults and a young woman wearing a tiara standing behind them.
It was the first day for whole milk at Williamsburg School District, celebrated by, left to right: Christine Ebersole, school nurse; Rep. John Joyce, MD, representing Blair and Bedford Counties in the U.S. Congress; Jennifer Metzler, elementary school principal; Blair County Dairy Princess Rylee Stultz, and a few kindergarten students. Photo provided

By SHERRY BUNTING

Special for Farmshine

WILLIAMSBURG, Pa. — After years of waiting, students in the Williamsburg Community School District were served whole milk for the first time on Feb. 17, 2026.

School nurse Christine Ebersole shared a photo from the day, calling it “a good day at Williamsburg School District.” Ebersole has worked 24 years in the hospital setting and nearly 20 years as a school nurse. She also volunteers with the Grassroots Pennsylvania Dairy Advisory Committee, working alongside 97 Milk.

U.S. Representative John Joyce MD, attended the event. He posed for a photo with local Dairy Princess Rylee Stultz, Elementary Principal Jennifer Metzler, several kindergarten students, and Ebersole. The supplier is Ritchey’s Dairy of Martinsburg.

In an email, Ebersole thanked everyone whose efforts helped pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which made it possible for schools to offer whole milk again. In turn, supporters thank Ebersole for her volunteer work, bringing both medical experience and first-hand school insight to the effort on behalf of children and dairy farmers.

Is your school serving whole milk?

Send us your updates.

Whether you hear about it from your child, see it during a school visit, or have a photo to share, Farmshine would like to know if your school is offering whole milk. Contact Sherry Bunting at agrite2011@gmail.com or 717-587-3706.

Volunteers are developing materials to help communities talk with their schools about offering whole milk and signaling their commitment with a school board resolution. A “Why Whole Milk” handout is already available at https://www.97milk.com/assets/images/WholeMilk_briefing_June_2023.pdf

For now, offering whole white milk is the easiest, fastest, and least costly option for schools. Whole flavored milk may take additional steps that are being tackled, so stay tuned. The work continues!

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