JHS News

Jasper High School is proud to announce it has earned silver recognition on the 2025 College Board AP School Honor Roll.

This distinction is based on performance in three areas:

• College Culture: JHS earned a silver ranking in this category.
• College Credit: JHS earned a silver ranking in this category.
• College Optimization: JHS excelled in this category, earning a platinum ranking.

“This recognition reflects our commitment to providing meaningful opportunities for students to challenge themselves, earn college credit, and graduate with more options for their future,” said Dr. Tracy Lorey, GJCS Superintendent.

For more information, visit https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/scores/awards/ap-school-honor-roll.

Learn more about different foods, thanks to food service company, Sodexo!

Broccoli

Go Broccoli! Everybody's Superfood.

Broccoli is a native of the Mediterranean region and is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables that also includes Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and turnips. Broccoli has a place on almost every superfoods list, because it's low in calories and is rich in nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals. It's also low in fat and a good source of fiber. Broccoli is versatile too; you can eat it cooked or raw as a healthy snack. Although readily available year-round, the prime time for fresh broccoli is October through April in the Northern Hemisphere. When selecting broccoli, look for lively green leaves and firm, thin stalks. Thick stalks will be woody and are a sign of over-maturity. The florets should be compact, firmly closed and of a deep green color. Pass on any heads that show signs of yellowing or have tiny yellow flowers, as this is an indication of age. Also, remember that if you can't get fresh broccoli, it is always available frozen.

NUTRITION NOTES

Broccoli is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. tI si a good source of vitamins C, A, Kand B6, and contains phytochemicals that fight to protect your health! Broccoli is also rich in protein, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium. It is a very good source of dietary fiber as wel as folate, potassium and manganese. One half cup of raw or cooked broccoli counts as one serving of vegetables and contains just 15 calories. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

• Broccoli is part of the cabbage family. 

• Broccoli comes in a variety of colors, ranging from deep sage all the way to dark green and purpleish-green. 

• It's versatile in the kitchen as handy snacks, in soups, in salads and finely chopped in homemade pesto. 

• Broccoli has been around for over 2,000 years but it has only been grown in the United States for about 200 years. 

• Broccoli is one of the few vegetables that are available year-round. 

LET'S GET COOKING

Oven Roasted Broccoli With Panko

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon garlic (raw), 2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped), 2 cups fresh broccoli (cooked), 1/2 cup canned tomato (diced), 2 tablespoons canola/olive oil blend, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (ground), 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F. Chop garlic. Wash basil and pat dry, pull leaves off of stem and roughly chop. Chop broccoli. Drain tomatoes. Lightly coat broccoli, chopped garlic and diced tomatoes with oil, Italian seasoning and pepper and spread out on parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in 450 F standard oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle broccoli mixture with panko and bake 5 more minutes. Carefully transfer broccoli to serving pan and garnish with Parmesan cheese and basil. 

BITS AND BITES ABOUT BROCCOLI

Fresh broccoli should be consumed as soon as possible, as it will not keep for a very long time. To store broccoli, mist the heads and then wrap the broccoli loosely in damp paper towels before refrigerating. For best results, use the broccoli within two to three days. Do not store broccoli in a sealed plastic bag as raw broccoli requires air circulation. A perforated plastic bag is better. Cooked broccoli should be covered, refrigerated and used within two to three days. To freeze broccoli, cut washed broccoli into florets and cut the stalks into pieces. Steam or blanch for about five minutes. Plunge the steamed or blanched broccoli into ice water to stop cooking. Drain the broccoli thoroughly before placing in sealed bags or containers. You can freeze broccoli for up to 12 months.

IT'S ALL HISTORY

Broccoli has been around for more than 2,000 years. Native to the Mediterranean, broccoli was engineered from a cabbage relative by the ancient Etrucans, who were considered to be horticultural geniuses. Records show that it was a favorite food of the ancient Romans. In the 1500s, broccoli was introduced to France, and in 1720 it was brought to England. Its English name, broccoli, is derived from the Italian "brocco", and the Latin "bracchium", meaning arm, branch or shoot. When first introduced in England, broccoli was referred to as "Italian asparagus". It wasn't until the 1920s that broccoli was first grown in the United States. It was brought over by Italian immigrants to be planted in their home gardens in Brooklyn, New York. In 1923, a group of Italian vegetable farmers in Northern California started to grow broccoli commercially. A few years later, they were shipping this scrumptious and very nutritious vegetable to Boston and New York. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• 15: The amount of calories in a cup of raw or cooked broccoli. 

• 90%: The percent of the nation's broccoli crop that grows in California.