Leaving for France and the Forum on Children, Obesity, Food Choice and the Environment

by Jean Saunders, HSC School Wellness Director

I'm leaving for France soon and, in just a few days, I'll start sending updates from the 2007 International Exchange Forum on Children, Obesity, Food Choice and the Environment in the Loire Valley.

Though I'm not exactly sure what to expect, I am optimistic about the types of questions this forum will help us to answer. And I'm confident that the remarkable experiences and company -- including fellow Kendall grad Kate Adamick -- will give us new ideas that I can't even begin to imagine from where I'm sitting right now.

This forum is about coming together and recognizing that our current system for school food is not the only option. But rather than hand out specific solutions to complicated, culturally specific questions, it promises discussions about big ideas and different ways of thinking.

Perhaps by thinking differently about what school food should be and how we can create it in our own communities, we'll be closer to creating a food experience that truly supports children's health and their ability to learn.

Stay tuned for news from France!