Ignite the Light Contest Showcased Team Spirit Across Texas
The 2026 Ignite the Light Video Contest gave school districts across Texas a fun and creative way to celebrate their teams, showcase district pride and build excitement for the 2026 TASN Annual Conference.
Inspired by this year’s conference theme, Ignite the Light, school nutrition teams created short videos and shared them on their district’s public Facebook pages. Each entry highlighted the energy, creativity and heart of the professionals who serve students every day.
The contest included two awards: the Fan Favorite Award, based on the video with the most Facebook likes by the voting deadline, and the Best Interpretation of Theme Award, selected for the entry that most creatively captured the spirit of Ignite the Light.
Aldine ISD’s video captured the power of one spark to inspire a team. By showing staff passing a light from person to person, the video reflected how leadership, purpose and service can light the way for many. Its message, “One spark. One team. One purpose,” resonated widely and earned 1.3K likes.
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56,500
Students
|
74
Campuses
|
111
Square Miles
|
|
26K
Daily Breakfasts
|
46K
Daily Lunches
|
600
Nutrition Employees
|
Under CEP, all students receive free breakfast and lunch, removing the burden of free and reduced-price meal applications for families. The district also offers an After-School Snack Program and Evening Meal Program at select sites. Aldine ISD Child Nutrition Services has earned the Texas Standards of Excellence Award since 2001.
Pasadena ISD’s entry stood out for its heartfelt connection to the conference theme and its focus on both school nutrition staff and students. The video highlighted how when school nutrition teams shine, students shine even brighter—spreading that spark one meal at a time.
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47K+
Students
|
67
Campuses
|
8K+
Staff Members
|
|
3,500+
Teachers
|
17
Recognized Schools
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CEP
Free Meals
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Pasadena ISD Nutrition Services offers free breakfast and lunch to all students for the 2025–2026 school year through CEP. In 2025, 17 Pasadena ISD schools were recognized by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for their efforts to improve health and nutrition.
Together, the submissions reminded us that school nutrition is about more than meals. It is about teamwork, service, school pride and the daily commitment to supporting students.
TASN is grateful to every participating district for helping make this year’s contest such a success. Your creativity, enthusiasm and willingness to share your stories brought this year’s theme to life and added even more excitement to conference season.
