Healthy Schools Campaign

Providing Fuel for Learning in the Face of Increasing Food Costs

by Erin Murphy, HSC Wellness Intern. Erin is a registered and licensed dietitian. She received her bachelor’s in Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was a dietetic intern at the VA Healthcare System in San Diego and is currently attending the University of Illinois at Chicago where she is a candidate for a Master’s in Public Health in the Maternal and Child Health division. In addition to her work as an intern at HSC, Erin works as a dietitian.at a clinic focused on eating disorders.

MSNBC.com recently reported on the impact of rising food prices on school lunches, which will start showing its mark in some areas around the country as soon as this fall. In the article, students, parents and administrators were interviewed about how they will have to deal with the changing prices of school foods.

A student in the article was quoted as saying, “I won’t be able to eat as much or eat what I usually eat in a regular day. I’ll have to cut down.” When a student says she won’t be able to eat how she normally would on a school day, implying the need to eat less due to monetary concerns, this sounds an alarm on the food security in our country. School should be a place where the food is healthy and available, to give students enough fuel to keep their bodies running and learning throughout the day.

This is why we have the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, after all.

The National School Lunch program began to ensure the health and well-being of children to grow into healthy adults free of ailments caused by malnutrition. After seeing a relationship between physical deformities and malnutrition in men rejected from the armed forces after World War II, Congress started the National School Lunch program to supply students with meals that provided essential nutrients to grow into healthy adults.

An interesting point to note is that in 1921, Chicago was recognized by the Department of Interior, Bureau of Education as having “…the most intensive school lunch system in America.” This would be an impressive bragging right to still hold to this day.

The scary truth is that school lunches are not always as nutritious and appealing as one would hope. Schools around the country are beginning to address this issue and make it a priority (as seen in the schools attending HSC’s recent wellness workshop), but schools face so many struggles with implementing healthier environments that some schools cannot possibly transition on their own. And now, with the burden of rising food prices, this uphill battle seems to be getting a little bit steeper.

We are seeing numerous problems (financial, sustainable, and varietal) in both what we farm and what we eat in the United States. There is a new motivation for farmers to grow corn in the United States as the demand for ethanol from corn crops increases. What about the need to emphasize and motivate farmers to grow crops that produce a variety of fruits and vegetables to live a healthy life?

The motivation behind farming needs to focus on its original intention: to feed people nutritious food. And our country needs to recognize that meeting the basic needs of its people, ensuring that healthy food is available to all, is simply essential.

Children should not have to worry about receiving enough nutritious food throughout the school day; the National School Breakfast and Lunch program is here to protect them from that situation. If students are expected to perform well, they need to be provided with the fuel to do so. We need to provide a healthy school environment where they can think critically and creatively, provide access to recess and provide healthy meals. A growing body of evidence shows how significantly these simple measures support student learning. Now, we need to ensure that children aren’t denied the supports that make such a difference in their ability to fully engage and succeed at school.

Workshop Highlights Enthusiasm for Healthy Food and Fitness in Schools

by Erin Murphy, HSC Wellness Intern

Last Thursday, educators, administrators and food service professionals came together to attend the Food & Fitness in Schools: Lessons from Charter Public School Innovators workshop presented by HSC and the Illinois Network of Charter Schools (INCS).

Guests were greeted with a healthy breakfast of muffins, yogurt, cheese, bagels and a variety of fruit. This breakfast, provided by Sodexho, is typical of what one can find in an elementary school that has joined the movement of offering healthier and more appealing meals to students (including some of the schools represented by the workshop’s panel of speakers).

After grabbing something to eat and settling in, audience members were greeted by Elizabeth Evans, executive director of INCS, and HSC’s Jean Saunders. The two set the tone for the event by discussing how wellness, in the form of physical activity and healthy food, affects students’ performance in the classroom.

Dr. Darla Castelli, assistant professor in the department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois, presented an exciting and powerful presentation on the effects of physical activity on academic achievement.

Dr. Castelli discussed the ways in which research-based literature demonstrates that physical activity throughout the day can greatly improve academic achievement. What really stood out about her presentation were the numerous ways in which kids, living and learning in any kind of environment, can be physically active during the school day. Her presentation was full of information that was simple yet powerful enough for all audiences, and provided access to tools which teachers and administrators can utilize to improve physical activity for their students.

After Dr. Castelli’s presentation was a panel discussion featuring of administrators from charter schools throughout Chicago that have made the transition to serving fresh, healthy food. Panel members included Marc Arakelian of Perspectives Charter Schools; Bob Nardo of the Noble Network of Charter Schools; Alison Slade of Namaste Charter School and Soyini Walton of the Betty Shabazz International Charter School.

The panelists provided candid information about what has worked in implementing a healthy school food program, from the start-up to the ongoing challenges of maintaining it. They also discussed the outcomes and benefits of providing a healthy school environment to students. There were a lot of lessons to learn from this panel, and the questions and conversations were full of energy. The excitement in the room was noticeable as people wanted to pick the brains of the panel members all morning. The interest in communication and follow-up among those in attendance became clear.

The final speaker was Melissa Ritter from the Farm to Table Lunch Program at the Prairie Crossing Charter School. She provided background regarding the roots of the farm to school movement, and also provided insight as to why these types of programs are important.

The conversations continued as the event wrapped up, and the enthusiasm in the room didn’t dwindle a bit.

The enthusiasm at this event highlighted how important it is for school leaders to have a place to share ideas and work together toward the goals of providing fresh, healthy food and plentiful physical activity for students. HSC is working to address this need by developing new opportunities for communication and discussion, places where school leaders can ask and answer questions and share ideas.

We are inspired by the enthusiasm and dedication of the school leaders we met at this event, and look forward to working together to create exciting new school wellness programs.

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The articles below are part of a growing body of research documenting the connection between children’s health and their readiness to learn. Several attendees at the workshop mentioned an interest in additional resources and academic references on this topic; we hope you find these resources valuable!

Energizers
http://www.ncpe4me.com/energizers.html
A list of energizers which integrate physical activity and learning. These can be utilized during the school day to help improve attention.

TAKE 10!
http://www.take10.net/whatistake10.asp?page=new
Curricular activities to be used during the school day to combine physical activity and learning for grades kindergarten through fifth. TAKE 10! ® activities during academic time have reduced behavior referrals and increased attention.         

Florence, M. D., Asbridge, M., & Veugelers, P. J. (2008). Diet quality and academic performance. The Journal of School Health, 78(4), 209-15; quiz 239-41.
Florence, Asbridge and Veugelers illustrate the connection between quality of food and performance in school. This research helps to further the support that providing a healthy school food environment and access to high quality foods may lead to improvements in academic performance, and overall health.       

Fu, M. L., Cheng, L., Tu, S. H., & Pan, W. H. (2007). Association between unhealthful eating patterns and unfavorable overall school performance in children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 107(11), 1935-1943.
Fu et al. discuss eating patterns and their connection to school performance in elementary school-aged children. Though the data collected in this article reflects eating patterns of children from Taiwan, it is plausible that results from this study could accurately reflect that of children in the United States given the obesity epidemic occurring globally.                   

Settings, M. (2006). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Local support for nutrition integrity in schools. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106(1), 122-133.
A position paper from the ADA expressing views toward a comprehensive school nutrition program which includes providing high-quality food, nutrition education, addressing policy issues, and finding support from various stakeholders.         

Wagner, B., Senauer, B., & Runge, C. F. (2007). An empirical analysis of and policy recommendations to improve the nutritional quality of school meals. Review of Agricultural Economics, 29(4), 672-688.
Wagner, Senauer and Runge explore reasons why schools are unable to meet nutrition standard requirements for meals offered at schools as stated in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To develop a better picture of the problem, the researchers explored various hypotheses as to why this is a problem that included: student food preference/demand in relation to nutritional quality, cost of meal production, facilities required for food production, and indirect costs.

Running Clubs Recruit for Wellness

by Allie Krass, Charity Athletics Manager

A recent article in Crain’s Chicago Business highlights the role that running clubs play in shaping the corporate culture and employee satisfaction at organizations around Chicago, from hospitals to financial institutions.

At HSC, we love to hear about efforts to instill a “culture of wellness” in the workplace, much as we work to make schools healthy workplaces for the millions of adults who spend their days there.

Our Charity Athletics Team offers the chance for running clubs to make races more meaningful by supporting HSC’s work to create healthy school environments. Right now, we are recruiting runners and running clubs to join our teams in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in Oct. 2008 and the ING New York City Marathon in Nov. 2008.

Individual runners or groups of runners may join HSC’s team. Corporations may sponsor their employees’ participation, match their gifts, or sign on as an official corporate sponsor, with all the accompanying benefits.

As the weather gets warmer and runners begin to prepare for these Fall races, a few are taking the opportunity to share their passion with co-workers who may never have defined themselves as runners. The article profiles one devoted runner who makes it his mission to recruit teammates:

As companies around Chicago sign up workers for races . . . other Dr. Shalhavs likely will be sticking their heads in cubicles and trying to give non-runners a taste of their addiction. Aficionados expect that at least a few of the runners who try a race for the first time this summer or watch from the curb might find themselves inducted into the runners club. Before long, they'll be throwing around lingo like "fartleks" as they talk about doing speed work, and logging the miles they've run in a particular shoe.

Co-workers are "initially like, 'What do you want? Leave me alone,' " Dr. Shalhav says. "Then slowly but surely they're getting into running."

He's persuaded a number of residents, fellows and other co-workers to join him in races, recently taking a group to Indianapolis for the half-marathon that is part of the Indy 500 festival.

One of the best parts about this story is the way it captures the contagious zeal of “obsessed” runners who recruit co-workers to join them on the trail. We invite runners around the U.S. – “obsessed” or not – to grab a few friends and run this Fall for healthy schools.

You can learn more or register online at our Charity Athletics Team page.

Celebrate School Nurse Day

Today we have a guest blog from Donna Fishman, HSC’s School Nurse Program Director

Today, May 7, 2008, is School Nurse Day.  I would like to take the opportunity to send best wishes to all the school nurses making a difference for the health of their students.  I especially would like to thank the school nurses that have and are currently participating in our School Nurse Leadership training.  We at HSC are constantly amazed by the intelligence, commitment, energy and wisdom of the school nurses we meet in our trainings—not to mention the phenomenal school nurse educators and leaders that comprise our School Nurse Advisory Committee.  I wish everyone knew how important school nurses are to the health and education of our children.

I hope the sun shines everywhere over school nurses today, and that you enjoy the day!

School Nurses Making a Difference through Advocacy

Today we have a guest blog from Linda Gibbons, Director of the School Nurse Certification Program National-Louis University and Illinois Director to the National Association of School Nurses

WOW!

Thanks to the sponsorship and support of the Healthy Schools Campaign, 40 Illinois school nurses traveled to Springfield and spent the day making a difference and advocating for our students and the need for professional school nursing support. 

 
We were able to present our petition for a State School Nurse Consultant at the Illinois State Board of Education meeting with more than 20 nurses present.  Mark Bishop (of Healthy Schools Campaign), Linda Gibbons (of the Illinois Association of School Nurses) and Vyki Jackson (the Illinois School Nurse consultant) presented compelling testimony about the need for coordination at the state level within the Board of Education. The Board members were very supportive of our position, but cited the need for funds and the ability to add positions within the agency.

It was a real "high" for all of us!

Then, we convened with the entire group of school nurse advocates at IEA headquarters for some briefing and to receive materials to bring to the Capitol.  At the Capitol, we were generally well received by both our representatives and senators, and we took commitments that they would vote to support school health and school nursing on a number of specific bills. 

When we reconvened, it was with a group of school nurses who were feeling very empowered to make a difference and to continue the contact with our legislators next week when they are back in their home districts.

It was an exciting day that we hope to make an annual event.

Many thanks to Healthy Schools Campaign for the organization, lunch and support of this important endeavor.

School Nurses left excited about what we can do and energized to really make a difference through legislative advocacy.

Farm to School Programs Taking Off

Today we have a guest blog from HSC Intern Dennis Fiser. Dennis recently graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in environmental studies and is beginning a new job on an organic farm later this Spring. 

In Jean Saunders’ blog entry from April of last year, I think it’s safe to say pretty much everybody (myself included) was astounded by the quality of a school lunch in France. Smoked salmon with asparagus and crème fraiche? Tomato and fresh mozzarella salad? Who needs, or would even want, a bagged lunch if this were the standard fare?

In the meantime, our school lunches are suffering from an unfortunate convergence of government policies, agricultural practices, and the strained financial state of our education system. School cafeterias on this side of the big pond seem to have a penchant for pizza, a need for nachos, and a hankering for hot dogs. While all of those items have their place, there’s no question we could do far better - and a growing trend called Farm to School is starting to do just that.

The name means just what it says – bringing the farm to the school through nutrition education, visits from farmers, growing food in school gardens, and putting some farm fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, honey, and beans on students’ plates when they come to the cafeteria for lunch.

The National Farm to School Network was officially created in 2000, as a joint effort between the Community Food Security Coalition and the Center for Food & Justice. It started with just six programs in 1997, but now the organization estimates that there are a whopping 2,000 programs in over 8,000 schools in 38 states.

Marion Kalb, who is co-director of the National Farm to School Network, attributes this rapid growth in part to the growing interest in eating and living healthy, but it isn’t just adults who are interested.

“We've found that if kids can meet the farmer who actually grew the food, they're much more likely to eat it," she said.

In a country where the prevalence of obesity is a problem in ever more communities, Farm to School programs are one way to reconnect ourselves and our schoolchildren to meaningful and healthy eating habits, while also helping to support small, local farms that sell to the schools.

Several states have passed Farm to School legislation encouraging school districts to buy local and giving them some of the human and financial resources required to do so. Several states have bills which will come to a vote sometime within the next few months, and the USDA encourages states to purchase locally grown produce for school meals.

Right now, there is a strong Farm to School program going on in Oak Park and Forest Park schools, pushed on by Gary Cuneen and Seven Generations Ahead. Students have enjoyed some local delights, including Dinosaur Kale and Swiss chard, and been on several trips to nearby farms, such as the Green Earth Institute in Naperville.

USA Today recently featured Farm to School efforts in their article, “Food program brings together schools, farmers,” and here’s hoping they have plenty more reason to keep featuring it in the future.

Fatty Liver Disease in Children: Without a Cure, Looking to Prevention

Today we have a guest blog from Emily Nuzzo, Educational Program Coordinator for the American Liver Foundation, Illinois Chapter. (Emily is also a former HSC intern!)

An obesity epidemic is sweeping the country, yet we as a society continue to lean toward reactive rather than preventive care: we tend to wait until we’re faced with the consequences of health problems before taking action. But we can’t afford to keep waiting, especially when it comes to children’s health. As we’re seeing more frequently, many obesity-related diseases simply don’t have easy cures.

Last week, the Chicago Tribune featured a story on fatty liver disease in children, Obesity takes toll.  It’s devastating to hear increasingly common stories such as this one about chronic medical conditions, once affecting only  adults, striking youth.

Andy, the child featured in the story, was diagnosed with fatty liver at eight years old.  He is currently 33 pounds over his ideal body weight.  He and his family are learning and practicing new healthful eating habits and exercising regularly.  Like the other parents featured in the story, Andy’s mother is making all the changes she can to help her son’s health.

As another mother explained, though, making time for exercise and healthy cooking can be difficult when working a full-time job requiring a two hour commute and a part-time job on the weekends.  There are times, she says, when fast food becomes a convenient option. As the article explains, “making lifestyle changes isn't easy, even when the stakes are high.”

I currently work as the Educational Program Coordinator for the American Liver Foundation, Illinois Chapter.  Through this position, I’ve learned that fatty liver disease is considered the next epidemic of liver diseases, due in part to the obesity epidemic.  Fatty liver occurs due to excess fat in the liver as a result of high-fat food consumption. 

There is no current medication available to treat patients with fatty liver disease, and no cure for the disease. Only a change in lifestyle can help reduce the disease’s negative impact.

Today, I was surprised by Andy’s story.  Even though I know the statistics, I’m still surprised when I hear about very young children suffering from obesity-related diseases. I’m afraid, though, that stories like Andy’s will become all too common if we do not begin focusing seriously on prevention. The increased incidence of fatty liver disease in children is a dangerous one which requires an ongoing  fight for systemic change in addressing the health of children.   

Rather than waiting until children have health problems before focusing on healthy eating and active lifestyles, we need to do what we can to make these healthy habits a normal part of children’s lives. This involves efforts to make healthy foods more accessible and convenient for all families and, importantly, making healthy eating, physical activity and food education a part of the school day.

Children spend a good part of every day at school, and a healthy school environment can play a huge role in preventing  obesity-related chronic diseases such as fatty liver. 

My life’s mission is to increase the fruit and vegetable intake of every individual in the United States.  Being a young, idealistic, twenty-something, fresh out of graduate school. . . I want to believe that this big goal is achievable. When we look at diseases such as fatty liver that have no cure – and no treatment other than a healthy lifestyle – it seems that too much is at stake for our society not to make this type of change. Schools are a great place to start.

Chicago Food Policy Summit: Farm to School and More

Today we have a guest blog from HSC Intern Dennis Fiser. Dennis recently graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in environmental studies and is beginning a new job on an organic farm later this Spring.   

Last Tuesday, hundreds of interested citizens, community organizations, legislators and food activists converged at the Chicago Cultural Center to take part in the 3rd annual Food Policy Summit, hosted by the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council. It was the biggest turnout by far in three years, including major figures in the Chicago and Illinois food communities.

Attendees included Jim Slama, Jim Braun, and Debbie Hillman - members of the newly formed Illinois Local Food and Farms Task Force - along with the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Health, aldermen, and Illinois Senator Jackie Collins and Representative Julie Hamos, who sponsored the Food, Farms & Jobs Act of 2007. The act, which has now become law, is a major legislative step in building a sustainable, fair and economically productive food system here in Illinois.

As has become tradition, one of the highlights of the Food Summit was the food itself – made with ingredients grown and raised by local farmers and prepared by local bakeries and chefs – including lamb shanks from Harry Carr at Mint Creek Farm, strawberry-raspberry preserves from Chris Covelli and Tomato Mountain Farm, pastries (including the most delicious teacakes imaginable) from Bleeding Heart Bakery, Floriole, and Vella, cheeses from Prairie Fruits Farm and Brunkow Cheese, vegetables from Growing Power and Genesis Growers, and many, many more. (For a full list, click here.)

The latter half of the day involved plenty of networking and several breakout sessions on topics such as selling to local markets, Farm to School programs, youth leadership and food access.

Farm to School programs and other initiatives that increase access to fresh, healthy food in our communities can go a long way toward improving children’s health and combating skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity and related diseases.

The Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council also released a new report, Building Chicago’s Community Food Systems, which highlights initiatives within Chicago and across the nation where cities and states are taking an active role in promoting urban agriculture, securing food access in underserved communities, composting, and building organic and local food systems. The report helps set the stage for future collaboration between community organizations and the city on food policy.

The Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council is network of organizations and individuals sharing their experiences and concerns about food security in the Chicago region. The goal is to influence policy makers to make informed decisions motivated by the goals of community food security.   The council holds quarterly meetings open to everybody who shows up. The next meeting is on May 20, 2008, and the location will be posted on the Council’s website, along with a PDF version of the report.

Get Your Farming On

Today we have a guest blog from HSC Intern Dennis Fiser. Dennis recently graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in environmental studies and is pursuing a career in sustainable food systems.

Part of the Healthy Schools Campaign’s mission is to promote healthy food and discourage the low-nutrient, high-calorie ("junk") food that has become widely available in schools. Fresh fruits and vegetables are just what school cafeterias need, and all the better if fresh produce can be purchased from local farms.

But even though "locally grown" is all the rage, there are surprisingly few farms growing food for people to eat. Much of our farmland is filled with corn for animal feed, food additives and biofuels, along with soybeans for biodiesel, food additives, and animal feed – which doesn’t sound very appetizing.

So here I am, working at HSC on farm-to-school policies; but what is there to do when there simply aren’t many local farms growing food, and even fewer which can supply enough ingredients to feed the thousands of Chicago students who eat school lunch every day?   I’ll go do some farming myself, that’s what.

In the past couple of years, there has been growing awareness [pdf] of the need for younger people to get involved in farming. Many farmers are nearing retirement and there aren’t many younger farmers to take their place.

But there are plenty of opportunities for those of us who do want to get involved in farming. It’s a great way to help build a sustainable food system from the ground up, literally. And the food is absolutely delicious.

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) helps people find opportunities to gain hands-on farming experience. WWOOF publishes a directory of organic farms for dozens of countries, and in return for volunteer help, WWOOF hosts (farms) offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles. Specific to our region are programs like the Collaborative Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT), which serves northern Illinois and Wisconsin (but has chapters in all areas of the country), Stateline Farm Beginnings, Central Illinois Farm Beginnings, and Farm Beginnings for Wisconsin and Minnesota, among many, many others.

And if farming isn’t going to be your occupation, many farms welcome visitors for a short stay – you get to do some good work and eat some good food, and then return to your normal life. Check out Local Harvest to find a farm close to you.

Another Great Tool at the “Tools for Schools” Conference: The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools

Today we have a guest blog from Bill Thompson, Director of Facilities for Lockport Township High School.

Last month I attended the EPA "Tools for Schools" Conference, the annual conference that brings together school facilities staff, health care providers, and interested teachers and parent groups to learn about the EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit that makes assessing and solving indoor air quality problems easier. 

At the conference, I had an opportunity to hear from people from across the country as they discussed their concerns and strategies for addressing indoor air quality in schools.

I was honored to have the chance to  present  a seminar called “Green Cleaning: Products and Practices for Clean and Healthy Schools,” where I  shared my experience with green cleaning at Lockport Township High School in Illinois to an eager audience of more than 150 people.  (You can check out the presentation here [pdf]. HSC also profiled [pdf] this experience at Lockport in the Summer 2007 issue of Healthy Schools magazine.)

After the seminar,  many attendees told me they had no idea green cleaning was so easy to implement.

At least a dozen people said they planned to start a green cleaning program at their school right away and that they would use The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools to help them get started.

In addition to the people at my seminar, another 600 or so attendees received copies of the guide along with other indoor air quality literature. 

If any attendees hadn’t heard of green cleaning before the conference, they certainly had by the time they left. And more importantly, they had a tool to help them start their own program.

Interested in starting your own green cleaning program? Request a free copy of The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools from Healthy Schools Campaign today!

Thirty Years after Love Canal: First National Guidelines on School Siting to Be Established

Today we have a guest blog from Stacey Gonzalez of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice.

Wow. We did it.

After six years of pressure on the government to create school siting guidelines that would prevent a school from being built on contaminated land, they have finally moved. Within the 800-page energy bill signed into law in December by President Bush were written these simple words:

Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall issue voluntary school site selection guidelines that account for (1) the special vulnerability of children to hazardous substances or pollution exposures in any case in which the potential for contamination at a potential school site exists...

This is huge!

This is the first time the federal government has given state legislatures direction when it comes to laws protecting where schools may be physically sited in relationship to toxic contamination sites. Prior to this legislation, no such federal instruction existed. Forty-five states do not have laws that prevent schools from being located next to toxic contamination sites.

However...Your work in the streets to protect your children from this huge gap in common sense legislation, to protect your kids from sitting every day in a school house filled with carcinogenic chemicals, from playing ball on fields laced with carelessly dumped toxins. . . your work is the real work that we celebrate.

Although we are thrilled that these small words will lead to federal guidelines on school siting, the real work still lays in the hands of grassroots groups across the country, to take to their state governments and demand that they draft and pass into law adequate and health-protecting school siting legislation, siting laws that will  prevent cash-strapped school districts from being the repositories for cheap and contaminated land left behind by big industry.

It is our hope that these federal guidelines will create the foundation, the impetus, the federal directive, to help compel states to make the right decision and pass their own school siting laws.

Congratulations to all of you who have worked with us over the years on this important issue. We couldn't have done it without you.

The Road to Safe School Buses

Today we have a guest blog from Anna Frostic, Esq., Environmental Health Advocate with the
Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago

The typical back-to-school jitters for parents and kids include the fear of a new teacher, new friends, or even a new school…but what about the school bus? Buses are often heralded as the safest way to transport kids to and from school, but are they the healthiest?

The vast majority of the friendly yellow buses that transport our children to school are powered by diesel engines. The exhaust from diesel buses contains over 40 toxic air contaminants, carcinogens, ozone smog-forming compounds, and fine particulate matter (“soot”). 

Because of their small size, fine particles evade the body’s natural defenses, such as coughing and sneezing, and penetrate deep into the lungs. 

Exposure to fine particles is known to cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, lung cancer, stroke, and even premature death. Children are particularly vulnerable to this pollution, as their lungs are not yet fully developed. 

When diesel exhaust escapes out of the tailpipe untreated, it can cause immediate health impacts on those near the exterior of the bus, and contributes to our region’s poor air quality.

The federal government has recognized this public health and environmental problem, and requires that newly manufactured diesel buses be 90 percent cleaner beginning with model year 2007.  To achieve this, buses will be built standard with a diesel particulate filter, which nearly eliminates fine particle pollution from the exhaust. 

Fortunately, the same technology can and should be retrofitted [pdf] on most existing buses. Older buses that cannot be retrofitted should be replaced with newer, cleaner models. 

Not only does diesel exhaust exit through the tailpipe, but exhaust also enters the bus cabin through the crankcase, under the vehicle’s hood.

Schoolchildren experience more exposure to particulate matter pollution during their daily rides to and from school than the average person receives during an entire day. To address in-cabin pollution, buses should be retrofitted with closed crankcase filtration systems, which nearly eliminate crankcase emissions. 

To prevent unnecessary diesel pollution, anti-idling policies [pdf] must be enforced. Idling consumes a half gallon of fuel per hour, and idling for more than three minutes produces 66 percent more pollution than stopping and re-starting the engine.

The Illinois General Assembly passed a law (Public Act 094-0845) that prohibits school buses from idling more than 10 minutes in a 60 minute period (with some exceptions). Additionally, the Chicago Public Schools require that buses not idle for more than 5 minutes, and encourage schools to set up places inside for bus drivers to wait during the colder months.  Parents should talk with school officials to ensure that these rules are being adhered to on a daily basis. 

In order for a school bus to be truly child-friendly, the problem of dangerous diesel emissions must be addressed. Retrofitting, replacing, and reducing idling times are essential to eliminating dangerous diesel soot.

The Illinois Campaign to Clean up Diesel Pollution is committed to raising public awareness of this issue, and to advocating for pollution-reduction policies. You can learn more about the issue from the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago.

Racing for Healthy Schools

Today we have a blog from HSC's senior development officer Cheryl Kaplan, who organized our first marathon team.

For the first year ever, HSC has organized a team of athletes to run The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.  The thrilling world class race is just days away, this Sunday, Oct. 7. 

Serving as Honorary Team Captain is Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s weekly news quiz show, "Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!," heard on 450 public stations nationwide.  If you’re planning to attend the marathon expo this Friday, October, 5 at McCormick Place, come hear Peter Sagal at the main stage at 3:20 p.m.  He’ll be talking about his midlife transition to marathon runner and why he is supporting Healthy Schools Campaign. (While you’re there, drop by to visit us in booth 254!)   If you’d like to make a donation to support Peter Sagal's run, click here.

Our 34 runners are coming to Chicago from coast to coast and as far away as Switzerland.  This dedicated group of fundraiser athletes has raised a cumulative total of $23,500 to date to benefit our cause, and they are continuing to raise money even in these last days before the race. Click here to make a contribution to support our team. 

If you’re planning to be a spectator along the 26.2 mile course, look for our runners wearing their Healthy Schools Campaign race shirts and let them know you appreciate their efforts.  We’ll be cheering at a rally station on Jackson near Damen on "Charity Mile" right after mile 15 of the race. You can get there easily via the CTA Blue line Illinois Medical District station. HSC will be in Spot #20 of Charity Mile  Come join us! 

We’re already looking ahead to 2008 when we’ll be supporting runners in the Boston Marathon, The ING New York City Marathon (no lottery or qualifying times necessary when you run for HSC!), and races in Chicago and other major U.S. cities.   If you’d like to run in these races, walk a 5K or 10K, compete in a triathlon, or take on any type of personal challenge on behalf of Healthy Schools Campaign, we will help you achieve your goals. 

We are also looking for corporate sponsors for our 2008 marathon program.  Let us know if your company would like to be part of this exciting national program.  Contact cheryl@healthyschoolscampaign.org or call (312) 419-1810 to learn more. 

Meet our team for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon!   

Walk Across Illinois School Fitness Program

Today we have a guest entry by Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, who began the Walk Across Illinois program.  

In less than two years, 10,000 participants in the Walk Across Illinois program, an online fitness initiative, have logged more than a million miles –- the equivalent of two round-trip journeys from the Earth to the moon!

Those numbers illustrate the popularity and accessibility of Walk Across Illinois, an interactive virtual trek from the town of Rock Island, on the Mississippi River, to Chicago’s Lake Michigan shoreline.

Walking is an easy and fun activity that everyone can do at their own pace. It’s also an easy way to improve your health, one step at a time.

Obesity, high blood pressure and inadequate exercise are community health problems which challenge us all. By encouraging everyone in Illinois to walk on average just one-half mile daily for a year, the Walk Across Illinois initiative can help boost the life expectancy and well-being of all Illinois residents.

In 2001, I hiked 167 miles across Illinois with my 78-year-old doctor, Dr. Quentin Young, to promote decent health care for everyone. The lessons I learned about wellness, activity, civic engagement and Illinois history had a tremendous impact on me –- and now I hope that Walk Across Illinois can bring this experience to everyone in our state.

Now, we’re expanding the program to include specific tools and resources for teachers and school children. 

Elementary school teachers can use the Walk Across Illinois School Fitness Program to help their students develop a lifelong pursuit of physical fitness. Participating schools receive professional development training, curriculum guides, teacher and classroom incentives, and much more.

The program is open to all Illinois public and private elementary schools with 4-8th grade classrooms.

For more information on the Walk Across Illinois School Fitness program and how you can bring it to your school, please visit www.WalkAcrossIllinois.org or call 312-814-5220.

French Paradox in the School Cafeteria?

Today we have a guest entry by Shanny Peer, Director of Policy Programs at the French-American Foundation.

Physicians, researchers, and calorie-conscious American tourists have noticed for years that French people enjoy delicious, rich food over leisurely four-course meals without ever seeming to gain weight. French men and women, despite having a diet that is relatively high in saturated fats – think about all those croissants and cream-filled pastries – enjoy less coronary heart disease, lower rates of obesity, and longer lives than Americans. One theory for this “French paradox” is that drinking red wine may limit the incidence of coronary disease for those on a relatively fat-rich diet. (Apparently, this news caused red wine consumption to increase noticeably in the United States.)

Recent books such as French Women Don’t Get Fat have turned the French paradox and slimmer French physiques into self-help advice for dieting Americans.  Guess what?  French children don’t get fat either.  And it’s not because they’re drinking red wine with their school lunch. 

Okay, admittedly, this is an exaggeration.  Some French children are in fact overweight – currently about 4 percent of French children aged 7 to 11 are obese, and another 14 percent are overweight.  Obesity rates and concerns about them are rising in France as they are in every other country in Europe and North America.

But Americans still tip the scale heavily. Obesity rates are rising much more rapidly in the U.S., which has experienced the largest increase of childhood obesity in recent decades – up 60 percent - while France has experienced one of the smallest increases, of 28 percent. (For a brief historical perspective on the French response to concerns about child obesity dating back to the 1930s, when French child health educators began urging mothers to adopt the healthy norms that still prevail today, see Greg Critser’s Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World, pages 36-37.)    

Does the French approach to school food help keep obesity and related health problems in check among school-age children in France?  Are there other important public policy measures that complement the efforts of schools in fighting back against child obesity? The French-American Foundation would like to find out, and that’s why I participated in the recent International Exchange Forum on Children, Obesity, Food Choice and the Environment, along with Jean Saunders, HSC's director of school wellness.

We are currently developing a new policy program comparing French and American approaches to school food and their potential impact on child obesity and child wellness. As with earlier policy programs at the French-American Foundation, focused on early childhood education, maternal and child health, and child care, we hope this program can have an impact on public debates and policy making in the U.S. by informing American policy makers, opinion leaders, and other stakeholders about potential lessons the French approach may offer to the U.S. 

This exploration is not about copying the French, or lifting lessons directly from their books. Rather, it is about examining the differences in our countries' approaches to see how we might learn from each other.

During the exchange forum, our visits to several school cafeterias in France highlighted some of the important differences in approach.  French children drink only water with their meals instead of the flavored milk (often whole milk) offered in many American school cafeterias. School meals are typically prepared in well-equipped kitchens by trained chefs who use mostly fresh produce and many other fresh ingredients, locally procured when possible, to prepare real food from scratch.

Although some American schools are trying to move in that direction, their efforts are hampered by many things, including under-equipped kitchens, limited resources for staff development, insufficient funding, and poor quality ingredients or prepared foods.

French schools spend more money per child – nearly three times as much – to pay for higher quality meals, with costs shared by parents and local governments. 

Whereas many American schools cater to the limited (and often unhealthy) preferences considered normal for American children, offering the same fare of chicken nuggets, pizza, hamburgers, and French fries featured on children’s menus in restaurants across the country, French school chefs prepare a wide variety of foods, including appetizers such as radicchio or fresh beets, mache or asparagus with vinaigrette – and they view expanding children’s palettes as an important part of their job.  And all the children who stay at school during the two-hour period allotted to a leisurely lunch and recess eat the same school lunch together – no lunch boxes come in from home.

One last important difference: France banned vending machines from schools by law three years ago, and we saw no evidence of “competitive foods” in the schools we visited. 

What might these differences mean for American school lunches? Would we want to examine ways that variations on these practices might be integrated into our schools? If so, what would an "American version" of the practice look like?

None of us – in France or in the U.S. – knows the perfect answer to the question of how we should address childhood obesity. But isn’t that good food for thought?

Plus: Jean Saunders, HSC's director of school wellness, will lead two Lunch & Learn discussions addressing International Perspectives on Childhood Obesity and School Food. The first will be held on Wed. May 16th in Lombard and the second on Thurs. May 24 in Chicago. For details, click here or call 312-419-1810.

 

Nurturing & Respect: Ingredients in a Healthy Food Culture

Today we have a guest entry by Amanda Archibald, RD, Founder, Field to Plate and host of 2007 International Exchange Forum.

Building on Jean's notes about her observations in France, I'd like to share more reflections on some of the food experiences in France, as we observed during the Spring 2007 International Exchange Forum.

Underlying the food experience and food choice culture in France is the notion that food and dining deserve respect. Respect is observed by taking time to eat and enjoy eating, separate from any other activity. One of the principles governing the school meal program in Vertou (close to Nantes, and visited by the group on Friday) is that meal time provides an opportunity for children to relax, to enjoy, and simply "to be." They are not distracted by anything other than themselves and a nurturing environment.

In addition to the idea of respect, the French also associate food (and wine) with pleasure. Indeed, during a wine tasting, the wine steward actually asked us what we associated with a bottle of wine. While many adjectives and ideas were suggested, none of us suggested "pleasure." Indeed, upon reflection, we agreed that wine should be associated with pleasure.

Beyond these ideas, at the Vertou school district, we observed that children would eat lunch in an environment that nourished not only their bodies, but also their senses.

The idea that school lunch should be eaten in a room that is devoid of visual inspiration was foreign to our French counterparts. The dining room was attractively decorated and furnished. Children sat on chairs that could be adjusted to their age and height. The ceilings were fitted with acoustic tiles to reduce noise. Walls and other surfaces were decorated with attractive artwork. Napkins reflected children's artwork. Support staff engaged in encouraging children to try new foods. Their role: to nurture children during the meal.

Time after time, we witnessed this intersection of respect for food, respect for each other, the pleasure of the food we were eating, and the pleasure of the company of those with whom we shared the meal. Meal times are an occasion to share, to nurture, to enjoy each other, and to indeed celebrate what food producers, artisans and culinary professionals can bring to the table.

I am a strong believer, as are so many other food professionals, that successful food and nutrition education programs should foster these same ideas of nurturing.

I also believe that inspirational food and dining environments, and a respect for those who grow, produce and prepare foods, are critical to the food and education experience.

When we respect the producer, the environments that we eat in and the people with whom we eat, we will surely begin to associate food, food choice and dining with the equal respect and pleasure that it deserves.

The Mystery of the Missing Menus

Today we have a guest entry by Kate Adamick, president of Food Systems Solutions LLC, a New York City-based consulting service that specializes in institutional meal reform. Kate is a speaker at the 2007 International Exchange Forum on Children, Obesity, Food Choice and the Environment.

Tours, France
22 Avril 2007

Jean Saunders and I arrived in Tours yesterday each traveling alone, sans children, pets, partners and most possessions. We walked the beautiful cobblestone streets taking in the sights and sounds, chatting with the friendly locals and stopping at countless cafes and bistros to examine the myriad menus handwritten in white chalk on blackboards.

We are in France to explore the ways in which the French feed their children, so it wasn't long before I noticed a glaring omission: Where were the children's menus?

What? No children's menus? How, then, do the children of Tours eat in restaurants? Perhaps, I thought to myself, they simply do not. Perhaps children in Tours are fed only at home. After all, they can't possibly be expected to eat in restaurants that don't serve hot dogs, spaghetti and chicken fingers.  Can they?

By dinner time, the bistros and restaurants began to fill with clientele. To my astonishment, many couples were accompanied by children who appeared to range in age from 2 to 12 years. These young customers sat down politely and, if old enough to read, ordered from the same menu as their parents. The younger children were fed directly from their parents' plates.

Without exception, the children all ate "adult" foods such as salads, fresh fish, roasted chicken, quiche and fresh vegetables. Not once did I hear a child ask for a children's menu, and not once did I hear an alarmed parent proclaim, "My child won't eat that."

How could this be? In America, every successful family restaurant has a children's menu. In fact, every successful family restaurant in America has the same children's menu as every other successful family restaurant in America.

My curiosity quickly became concern. "What's to become of France?" I wondered silently. "How can the French society survive if deprived of 'kid friendly foods?'  Aren't the French concerned that their children will go hungry? That they'll develop eating disorders?  That they'll whine and throw public tantrums?"

As we continue on our journey this week through this beautiful country filled with beautiful people, I hope they'll be able to help us answers these questions.