By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
Proposed bill would require high schools to provide free feminine hygiene products
local news.png

During the 114th General Assembly on Jan. 14 Tennessee lawmakers were presented with a bill which, if passed, will require high schools across the state to provide feminine hygiene products to students at no charge.

On Jan. 15 lawmakers decided to hold the bill at the desk pending the appointment of standing committees.

Tennessee House Bill 39 (HB 0039) will enact the “Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Act” which will require all Tennessee high schools to stock tampons and pads in bathrooms, locker rooms and in school nurses offices. Under the new bill, tampons and pads are to be made available only to students and will not be provided to faculty.

State Representative, Elaine Davis is sponsoring HB 0039 and sponsored a similar bill that was presented in 2024, but was not passed. 

“Menstrual cycles can be unpredictable and every woman knows the awkward feeling of being caught without appropriate period products,” Davis said. “This is a situation our young girls should never have to experience, especially at school. Feminine hygiene products are as essential as toilet paper and are not a luxury. My goal is to bring dignity to these young ladies, keep them healthy, and ensure they can stay in the classroom.”

HB 0039 will amend TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 49 and Title 67 and will not only allow schools to provide period products, but will require them to be available for students.  

“This is a great start to this often overlooked conversation about menstrual health and access to supplies,” Cydney Langford, Aunt Flo Initiative co-founder said. “We’re happy to continue supporting WCHS by helping them stay stocked up on period supplies. School nurses, administration and teachers at all the schools in our community already do a great job of making sure students have the attention and supplies they need.”  

“We would love to see some state funding for schools behind this bill and an expansion to middle and elementary schools because there is a big need at those grade levels, too,” Ashley Gillentine Wright, Aunt Flo Initiative co-founder said. “Over the years, we have had a few school officials report to us that access to free period supplies has allowed students to focus better in class and has helped with attendance.”

The Aunt Flo Initiative is a local civic organization which collects and delivers period products to elementary, middle and high schools. Donations can be made to the Aunt Flo Initiative at Ashley’s Attic, Wink Skincare Studio or Lemon. 

Local farm partnership brings fresh beef to Warren County Schools
local news.png

Warren County Schools has beefed up lunch menus this school year through a new community partnership. Thanks to a collaboration between the district’s School Nutrition Department and Barton Creek Farms, students at Warren County High School, Warren County Middle School, West Elementary, Eastside Elementary, and Dibrell Elementary are enjoying locally sourced, farm-fresh beef in their lunches as part of a pilot program.

The initiative, spearheaded by Terri Mullican, Director of School Nutrition, has already shown great promise in its first few months. The partnership with Barton Creek Farms, located in Rock Island, Tennessee, ensures that the beef served is not only local to Warren County but of the highest quality. Barton Creek Farms specializes in farm-to-fork beef, with grass-fed and grain-finished cattle. Each calf is born and raised in Rock Island and goes through USDA-inspected processing, ensuring it meets the strictest safety and quality standards.

“When the opportunity arose to provide fresh, local beef, we knew it was a no-brainer,” Mullican said. “The fact that it’s a product from right here in our community makes it even more special. We can’t wait to implement it district-wide.”

Barton Creek Farms delivers fresh ground beef to the district monthly, and the nutrition

department incorporates it into homemade recipes such as lasagna, meatloaf, chili, and tacos.

As of now, the beef is being served at five schools, but the ultimate goal is to expand the program to all ten lunch-serving schools in the district.

The pilot program originated from a conversation between Mary Roller of Barton Creek Farms and Mullican. Roller, recognizing the farm’s potential to support local schools, reached out to gauge the district’s interest in serving local beef to students. Around the same time, a Warren County school board member contacted Mullican to share information about a similar partnership in neighboring Dekalb County, which helped push the initiative forward.

The timing worked in the district’s favor, as the nutrition department was able to fund the purchase of the beef using existing resources, eliminating the need for additional funding. Now that the pilot program is enjoying a successful run, the department has budgeted to extend the partnership district-wide for the 2025-26 school year.

Dr. Grant Swallows, Director of Schools, praised the program’s economic approach to student nutrition.

“This pilot is a perfect example of how we can use local resources to continue providing nutritious, healthy meals for our students,” he said. “We are grateful for partnerships like this one that benefit both our students and our local community. We always strive to support our local businesses when we can because our community is so good to us.”

In addition to working with Warren County Schools, Barton Creek Farms also partners with local restaurants to offer farm-fresh beef on their menus. The farm’s offerings include ground beef, steaks, roasts, and custom cuts by the quarter, half, or whole cow, meeting diverse consumer needs.

As the program continues to grow, the district hopes to expand its focus on farm-to-school meals, benefiting students’ health and connecting them to the agricultural roots of the community