Healthy Schools Campaign

When Parents Unite, Great Things Happen

As the new year gets underway, parents across Chicago are coming together and developing plans for another great year of making changes to support healthy eating and physical activity in schools.

Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables is HSC's coalition that brings together parents and community members to create healthy school environments for the city’s children. This coalition held one of its quarterly meetings today, looking ahead to the coming months. 

Last year was a big year for Parents United. 

• Jovita Flores, manager of Parents United, was honored by the White House;
• Wellness teams across the city made new strides in their schools;
• The Cook County board formally recognized Parents United;
• Parent leaders discovered new strengths and talents through Parents United
• ... and much more. Read a full list of past blog posts here!

Of course, as Guillermo Gomez, HSC's vice president of urban affairs, said last year in an interview on the accomplishments of Parents United, "The formation of Parents United is still our biggest accomplishment! To bring together a group of parents who became leaders around wellness, to propose change to healthy food at the district level and then see the food change."

Today, as Parent United members gather and look ahead, HSC honors all the dedicated parent leaders who contribute their time and talents to making positive change in our schools. 

Listen to parent leader Karina Macedo tell her story, below:

 

Plus: Read the full interview with Jovita Flores and Guillermo Gomez about the founding of Parents United for Healthy Schools. 

Stop Germs! Handwashing Is a Winner in the Fight Against Colds & Flu

The flu has been making headlines all winter, and recent reports show that it's still an epidemic. As coughs, colds and the flu make their rounds through our schools, we're promoting a time-honored way to stay healthy: handwashing. Here's a roundup of healthy handwashing tips.

Six steps to wash and dry hands: 

1. Wet hands with clean warm water.
2. Apply soap.
3. Rub hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces for 20 seconds, about as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. 
4. Make sure to wash under nails, watches and jewelry since millions of germs gather there.
5. Rinse with clean water.
6. Dry with a clean, single-use paper towel.

A fun way to help kids remember to wash their hands? Make it a club! 

The Scrub Club, an initiative of National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International, is a hand washing club that inspires and teaches kids to wash their hands to stop the spread of germs, while giving them the tools to teach their fellow students the techniques.

In the 2008-2009 school year, school nurse Luisa Ramirez, RN, from Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park, IL created her own incentive program at her school using the ideas and steps from the Scrub Club... About 70 percent of the student population participated and the proper hand-washing techniques were taught in health class.

Students took home a Scrub Club Handout and on the back Ramirez created a form for students to share with the idea that each student would teach the handwashing steps to five other people. 

“They could be family or friends.  The family or friend signed the form, attesting they had received the training. They had a two week window to return their signed forms,” said Ramirez. “Kids had fun being the teacher at home. Parents were happy to see and learn from their children.”

When students returned their completed forms, they received a Scrub Club Sticker [pdf] to solidify their membership in the Scrub Club and were allowed to sign their names on the Scrub Club poster outside of the principal’s office. The class that returned the highest percentage of completed forms received a celebration.

Plus, now's the time of year to celebrate all the hard work and dedication of school nurses. All year long, school nurses advocate for healthier school environments, remind kids about healthy habits such as handwashing, and care for those affected by cold and flu season.

Check out some past blog posts about the amazing work of school nurses to promote handwashing and much more!

Case Study: How Healthy, Active Teachers Create a School Culture of Wellness

Today we're featuring a case study from Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, we learned about professional development at Namaste Charter School in Chicago.

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by Kadesha Thomas

Namaste students participate in an outdoor exercise break at a nearby park.

It starts with the interview process.

When a prospective new teacher sits down to interview with Allison Slade, founder and principal of Namaste Charter School in Chicago, one of Slade’s first questions is, “What attracts you to our mission?” And then she listens for clues to whether the candidate will integrate into the school’s unique culture.

Namaste’s mission aims for academic excellence, and health and wellness is their way of achieving it. The school was founded in 2004 to fill a void in public education, one Slade felt was setting students up for poor performance by not ensuring that they were physically or psychologically healthy enough to learn. She wanted a school environment in which health and wellness principles—like nutrition and physical activity—were a part of the school’s mission, as well as a personal mission for individual school staff.

“It’s about how they think of themselves as a model for students,” Slade said of prospective teachers. “If you’re always walking around with a pop in your hand, that’s a problem. For students, a teacher’s behavior has an impact on them.”

Namaste’s culture of health and wellness is a shock to many new teachers. The day starts with a 15-minute morning movement, usually a yoga routine to “get younger kids to calm down and get older kids to wake up,” Slade said. The school’s 450 students, kindergarten through eighth grade, have 25 minutes of recess and 60 minutes of physical education each day.

During lunch, students have access to healthy food and learn about why that food is healthy. All teachers teach a 30-minute wellness block every day, where students learn about a pre-selected theme such as the human body, eating a balanced diet, safety and the benefits of physical activity.

Though the health and wellness culture resonates with new teachers’ personal values, most don’t know how to incorporate it into the classroom when they come to Namaste. But the shared mission among the teachers makes it easy for them to learn during Namaste’s rigorous teacher preparation. That preparation starts with a three-day induction specifically for new teachers. Sessions focus on introducing the new teachers to Namaste’s six core pillars—Nutrition/ Health and Wellness, Movement, Peaceful School Culture, Balanced Learning, Language and Culture and Collaborative Practice.

The induction takes place before the school’s summer break begins so that new teachers can observe classes, witness, and, afterward, discuss, how health and wellness are incorporated into the core curricula. The induction Namaste students participate in an outdoor exercise break at a nearby park.30 / Health in Mind / Improving Education Through Wellness / healthinmind.org also includes a session at a nearby yoga studio, to help new teachers understand the foundation for Namaste’s focus on mental health.

Over the summer, new teachers are given core reading and additional training on how to incorporate health and wellness topics into their trimester lesson plans. A seven-day orientation with all teachers also includes additional presentations on infusing health into the classroom. This is also a time when teachers outline the topics for the daily 30-minute wellness blocks. Each Friday afternoon during the school year, teachers come together to review and critique each other’s lesson plans for the coming week.

Student academic performance has confirmed Slade’s conviction that emphasizing health in the classroom boosts learning: nearly 87 percent of Namaste students meet or exceed state academic standards, compared to 73.4 percent throughout the Chicago Public Schools district. Namaste’s daily student attendance rate is also five percentage points higher than the district average.

“Attendance is high because the kids are healthier, so they miss school less,” Slade explained.

Teachers are also demonstrating their commitment to health and wellness among themselves outside of the school day. In May 2012, the staff started an afternoon Zumba class and several teachers have joined local residents to train for the Chicago Half Marathon in September.

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As the year progresses, we'll share more about Health in Mind and the progress of this initiative! For more information or to view the full report, please visit www.healthinmind.org.

Friday Recipe, Super Bowl Edition: Chicken Rancheros

Cooking up Change culinary team from Washington High School, with HSC President and CEO Rochelle Davis

It's no secret that we're big fans of the winning Cooking up Change lunch. It wowed our judges and recently it was served in Chicago Public Schools across the city. And now's the perfect time to suggest that the winning recipe be served on your very own table! We thought it'd be a great companion to another kind of competition, which Americans all over the country will be watching next weekend: the Super Bowl! Yes, we'd rather have all of America playing an active game (Flag football! Safety first!) but we also appreciate a little healthy family time. 

And how can you make that family time even more healthy? Why, serving up a dish from a Cooking up Change winning meal, of course. Here it is. Watch it disappear before halftime.

Chicken Rancheros

Ingredients

12 oz pre-cooked chicken breast strips 

6 T salsa                                                   

3 T cilantro, chopped               

1 tsp Cajun seasoning                                 

1½ tsp soy sauce                                       

1½ tsp Dijon mustard                                 

60 tortilla chips

3 T canned jalapeño peppers, diced

3 tsp cheddar cheese, shredded                                 

3 tsp mozzarella cheese, shredded   

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Place chicken strips in medium-sized pot over medium-low heat. Add salsa, soy sauce, Cajun seasoning and Dijon mustard.

Stir to combine.

2. Bring chicken mixture to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavorful and tender, about 10-15 minutes. Once mixture is fully heated, reduce heat to low.

3. Meanwhile, layer tortilla chips on an oven-proof serving dish.

4. Layer chicken mixture on top of chips, then add mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

5. Bake at 375° for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

6. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeños.

 

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

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Thanks to the students at Washington High School for sharing their recipe with us!

 

New Report from HSC and Trust for America's Health Calls for Federal Action to Close Achievement Gap by Addressing School Health

HSC is excited to announce the release of Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, taken from a press release written in partnership with Trust for America's Health, is more information about the report and on why we believe it's vital.

American children are struggling academically, and the nation faces a growing achievement gap that is increasingly tied to health disparities — today’s children could become the first generation to live shorter and less-healthy lives than their parents, notes the report.

Health in Mind offers a strong framework for addressing the nation’s most urgent health and education challenges by outlining strategies within the current regulatory and budget framework of the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services that the administration can utilize to better the conditions for health and learning in schools. The report also examines the research connecting health disparities with educational outcomes and presents case studies of innovative on-the-ground practices across the nation.

“We’ve never met a parent, teacher or school leader who didn’t recognize that healthy students are better prepared to learn,” said Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of HSC, a national advocacy organization that focuses much of its work on improving the food and fitness environment in Chicago schools. “But the truth is that vast health disparities exist in our nation and far too many children attend school in environments that do not support their health. Unless we address these challenges, our efforts to close the achievement gap will be compromised. The consequences are enormous for children’s learning and for their lifetime health.”

Health in Mind presents research, policy analysis and immediate recommendations focused on:

• Preparing teachers and principals to promote student health and wellness;
• Engaging parents in school health;
• Incorporating health and wellness into school metrics, accountability and recognition programs;
• Building the Department of Education’s capacity to address student health and wellness; and
• Placing a school nurse in every school.

“We are beginning to see an important shift in the way the nation addresses health and wellness,” said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH. “With Health in Mind and the National Prevention Strategy, we’ve begun to move toward integrating and thinking about health in all of the contexts —education, transportation, housing and other area s— that impact health. Specifically focusing on the connection between health and school will ensure students can do as well as possible academically and are healthier.”

“We know that health and education are inextricably linked; with that knowledge, we must shift how we approach both wellness and the school day,” said Dr. Gail Christopher, vice president for program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “The Health in Mind report points us forward. Our communities truly can develop children who are healthy, smart and strong. Doing so will take creativity and commitment from leaders at all levels. I am confident we can rise to that challenge."

The report follows a May 2012 event at which HSC and TFAH, with the support of the nation’s largest education unions, presented a set of recommendations to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. At the event, both Sec. Duncan and Sec. Sebelius publicly expressed their support for the goals that would form the basis for Health in Mind.

In December 2012, ten members of Congress signed on to a letter to Sec. Duncan and Sec. Sebelius expressing their support for the recommendations. More than 70 organizations representing the nation’s health and education advocates have signed on to the Health in Mind vision statement.

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As the year progresses, we'll share more about Health in Mind and the progress of this initiative! For more information or to view the full report, please visit www.healthinmind.org.

Walk! Run! Dance! How Schools Help Kids Exercise Every Day

Photo by Flickr user

Recently we were thrilled to see physical activity spotlighted at schools around the country. 

At Eugene Field Elementary in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, running and walking is suddenly in style. Kids get a bracelet that they can fill with colored shoe charms, earned for meeting their goals. The program  encourages students to collect more charms and get in shape:

“It’s a good way to lose weight, and I like to do it with my best friends,” [Simon Nelsen, a fourth-grader] said.

Last year, he played kickball, soccer or four square during his 15-minute breaks. But this year, “usually, I just run the whole recess.”

Parents and teachers get into the action at Saddlebrook elementary school in northwest Omaha, where students participate in “hike-and-bike Wednesdays,” filling in the gaps left by decreased time for physical education during the school day. 

Teachers meet students at corners in the Saddlebrook neighborhood and walk a few blocks to school. During colder weather, the school takes advantage of the attached community center walking track and allows students to walk inside before school.

“It’s great to get that exercise first thing in the morning,” Saddlebrook Principal Mark Suing said.

But walking isn't for everyone. At Springdale Elementary School in West Columbia, South Carolina, walking routines bored the kids, according to fourth grade teacher Susan Jenkinson. Instead, she said, “this year’s class just loves to dance."  

Jenkinson's approach won accolades this month from the BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina’s WalkingWorks Great Expectations for Health program. Her class was one of two in the state to be honored for increasing physical activity. (Although the BlueChoice program has "walking" in its name, classes could exercise in any format for 300 minutes over the course of 12 weeks.)

 With popular songs like "Gangnam Style" playing throughout the classroom, Jenkinson's students "get the wiggles out" during transition times at several points throughout the day.

At HSC, we encourage teachers and schools to be creative and look for opportunities to integrate physical activity into the school day. Have a great idea that works in your school or classroom? Tell us in the comments below!

Chef Mentors Make Cooking up Change the Experience of a Lifetime for Culinary Students

Earlier this month, the winning Cooking up Change lunch, created by culinary students from Washington High School in Chicago, made its cafeteria debut throughout the Chicago Public Schools system. The meal itself earned rave reviews during the contest, but the team's success depended on more than just a crowd-pleasing recipe. Washington students were fully prepared for every aspect of Cooking up Change by chef mentors and culinary instructors, and they worked hard as a team for many weeks, perfecting everything from their kitchen work process to how meals looked on plates. 

All that prep paid off especially well for Washington students, but every culinary team benefited from the incredibly dedicated mentors and instructors who guided them through Cooking up Change. 

Sarai Rosales in the kitchen at North-Grand High School

Sarai Rosales of Frontera Grill, chef mentor for the 2012 North-Grand team, had a particularly unique perspective. She started her culinary career as a Cooking up Change team member in 2008 and 2009. When we spoke with Sarai about her experience mentoring North-Grand, she said she's been thrilled to give back. 

"These students are the future, and it's important for us as chefs to stand up for what we believe in," she says.

Her experience in Cooking up Change shaped her journey towards working as a chef. She says, "When I did Cooking up Change in high school, I knew [cooking] was tough. But by the time I got to college, I had an understanding; I was like, 'OK, I know how to do this!'" 

Plus, Rosales made some changes in her own diet along the way. She says, "Now I'm able to drink raw juice with kale, banana, cilantro... back in high school, I didn't want that! It was too green for me! And I know I'm not the only kid who thought that way."

Last but not least, Cooking up Change helped her discover that she wasn't alone as a young person looking to change the world. She says, "Cooking up Change helped me network and work with students who thought like I did, who care."

Chef mentors fill this role, too, showing students that they can be both professional chefs and change makers as adults. And chef mentors are just as invested in winning as the students are. 

Immediately after Washington was named the winning team at Cooking up Change this fall, we caught up with their chef mentor, Teri LaMont from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. She stressed that Washington's culinary program had prepared students well, and as a mentor she was able to build on both students' knowledge base and on their drive for success.

"Their enthusiasm was so there," LaMont said that night as her students celebrated around her. "It was amazing to see younger people with so many big ideas."

HSC thanks all of the chef mentors and culinary instructors who make Cooking up Change possible each year, in Chicago at our flagship competition and in competitions nationwide. Washington High School will travel to Washington, DC in May 2013 to compete in the Cooking up Change national finals!

Can Video Games Affect Kids' Wellness? New Research on the Connection Between Good Health & Games

At HSC, we've followed with interest over the years as video games have become a bigger part of the conversation about healthy eating and physical activity.  Gaming continues to become more a part of classroom and out-of-school learning. But what impact does it have? Do games really increase physical activity? Do messages about healthy eating of junk food really have an impact on what kids eat? With two new studies in the news, we're taking a moment to check in on this trend.

First, the food: one new study found that games involving food products may encourage unhealthy habits.

According to NPR's story earlier this month on the research:

...Children who play with these games may eat more, and eat more junk food, even if the game features fruit or other healthful choices.

Called "advergames" by their critics, junk food-centric games and apps have names such as "Cookie Dough Bites Factory" and "Candy Sports". It's easy for parents and teachers to guess that these may be dubious choices for chidren. 

But even more intriguingly, all food-themed games seemed to negatively affect kids' eating habits -- even when fruit played a starring role.

The researchers say they assumed that the children who played the fruit game would choose fruit. But boy, were they wrong. All the children who played a food-themed game ate more, and ate more candy, even if they played the fruit game.

"We were very surprised," Frans Folkford, a graduate student in communications at the University of Amsterdam who led the study, tells The Salt. The children who played food-themed games took in about twice as many calories as children who played a non-food game, or played no game at all. The work was published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Other studies have found that video games involving fruit can boost kids' fruit consumption -- but also tend to increase their overall calorie consumption. "A lot depends on the game and the actual messages in there," said Jennifer Harris, director of marketing initiatives at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. "It's very complicated." In that context, experts say that parents should keep an eye on mobile games and tablet apps. Harris adds: 

Pay attention to what your kids are downloading... A lot of parents figure as long as it's free and it's listed as for children, they assume it's safe and not harmful. You really can't assume that.

Here's the full story on this new research.

And on to physical activity: research also suggests that physically active video games can actually help kids be more active and play a role in efforts to curb childhood obesity. Researchers said: “It appears as though e-gaming may provide an effective adjunct to traditional PE activities in promoting recommended daily levels of — at least in younger children and perhaps in overweight/obese children.”

The lesson, as always, is about getting kids moving in fun, educational ways. We'll continue to follow the research and conversation emerging around games as one approach to boosting activity.

Looking for an offline way to help kids get active? We love the idea of using yoga in the classroom. Check out this post from mindfulness expert Carla Tantillo for more on a unique, engaging way to increase student health!

 

Help Make 2013 the Year of Green Cleaning!

Last year, we were thrilled to watch and support growth in our nationwide family of schools committed to green cleaning. Plus, momentum around this initiative was recognized at both the state and federal levels. So, let's make 2013 an even bigger year for green cleaning. 

Here are some ideas and tips for a green start to 2013: 

1) Check out our expanded, updated guide to green cleaning in schools. It's packed with ways (big and small) to move your school towards excellence in green cleaning. Read up, and get inspired!

2) Begin where you are. Do you need to gather your team to engage them in the idea of green cleaning? Or are you already on your way? Think about your progress, and then start envisioning next steps. We love the idea of using Post-It notes or a dry-erase board to create a "vision board" in a common area where all stakeholders can add their ideas.  

3) Try a green cleaning webinar. HSC's webinars are designed to help you learn best practices from leaders in the field nationwide. Additional webinars on green schools have been created by the U.S. Department of Education. They're archived and free to access. No plane ticket required!

4) Stay the course. Making change takes time and dedication. Remember the words of activist Margaret Mead, who said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Our five simple steps provide a basic roadmap to green your school's cleaning program.

5) Keep reading our blog's green cleaning posts. The months ahead will bring spotlights on more inspiring individuals taking steps to green their schools. We'll keep posting tips and ideas throughout the year. 

Best wishes from HSC for a greener 2013! 

GreenBuild Conference Recap: Building a Green Future, School By School

By Mark Bishop

At the GreenBuild International Conference and Expo this fall, I had to pause and marvel. With nearly 30,000 attendees and 1,000 vendors, the energy was overwhelmingly infectious -- and after three days, I’m pretty sure we all felt galvanized to change the world, one building at a time.

The size and scope of the conference is like this every year but GreenBuild 2012 had a new focus: schools.  Tens of thousands of people, all gathered with the belief that if we want to impact climate change, improve education and create a better future for our children, it won’t happen without healthy and sustainable schools.

This focus drove the conference from the beginning, when the Director of the Center for Green Schools, Rachel Gutter, (disclaimer, I am a member of the executive committee) extolled the growth of the green school movement, and USGBC CEO Rick Fedrizzi highlighted the changes students themselves are making in their schools across the country, from participating in the national green school day of service, to the promotion of green policy at colleges and universities in every state.

The excitement around schools kept rolling with workshops, a press conference and a report on the impact of green building on educational outcomes.The message was clear: through green schools, we can save money, improve the environment and create school buildings that support health and learning.

It’s not all rosy, of course. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in 1996 that schools needed $400 billion just to bring them up to basic building codes -- forget about green, we’re just talking basic health and safety. And because there has been no coordinated national effort to provide capital improvement dollars for our schools, no one believes that there is a positive trend here, especially given the GAO’s lack of authorization to do a follow-up report.

But inspiration matters. Unity around green schools from 30,000 architects and engineers? It adds up. It builds, you might say. We’re on our way, one school at a time.

Educator Spotlight: Congrats to Lori Klein-Blazek, Physical Education Award Winner!

This fall, HSC was thrilled to learn that physical education teacher Lori Klein-Blazek was named Illinois Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD).   

HSC first met Lori through Fit to Learn, a professional development program that helps teachers make health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience. Lori, a Chicago Public Schools teacher for more than 27 years, has worked hard to inspire her young students to lead healthier, more active lives. At Jungman Elementary School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, she’s been responsible for more than 19 heath and physical education programs. Plus she’s helped spark a new partnership with Children’s Memorial Hospital’s KIPP program, which prevents knee injuries amongst young female athletes.

She’s known for being highly invested in her school (where she teaches all grades) and in her individual students. She says: “What makes a good teacher? The kids have to know that you like them. I tell my kids all the time that they're awesome, they’re great and that I'm proud of them." She adds with a smile: "Even when I'm saying, ‘Stop, pick that hockey stick up!’”

She’s also a big believer in teachers stretching their creativity to the limit, making lessons more engaging and active. She recently recycled unwanted foam swimming pool “noodles” by slicing them into hockey pucks. “If you give me something, I can figure out something to do with it,” she says. “I have a million things I can do with popcorn buckets!”

When she first heard about Fit to Learn, she wasn’t sure if the activities would work in her school’s classrooms. But, she says, "All I can do is try.  I talk about Fit to Learn to teachers all the time, and I do some of the activities in PE with the kids. It's good energy. The seminars are fun -- especially for someone like me. I can’t sit still. I’m like, show me, let's get up, let's get moving."

Recently we learned yet another way that she’s connected to HSC: Anayency Elizondo, Administrative Coordinator at HSC, is a former student! Seventeen years later, Anayency still remembers the tough encouragement that’s made Lori so important to her students. 

“I’ve always been terrible at volleyball,” Anayency says. “I remember playing it, and she didn’t really care if you were terrible at it. She would just make you try it and feel good about trying. She encouraged us, however she could.” 

With her signature creativity and energy, Lori Klein-Blazek continues to make learning healthy and fun for her students.

Congratulations, Lori, on your award -- we’re proud that you’re part of HSC’s family of incredible educators!

Winning Lunch from Cooking up Change Chicago Served Today in Chicago Public Schools!

Today, the winning lunch from Cooking up Change Chicago will be served to students across the city!

Nearly 300,000 high school and elementary school students will enjoy the award-winning healthy school lunch created by culinary students at Washington High School.

The meal features chicken rancheros, flavorful corn with cayenne and parmesan, and fruit salad with cinnamon and yogurt. This lunch, created with the same budget and preparation constraints of real-life school food service, won first place in Healthy Schools Campaign’s Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest in November 2012. Judges included chefs and community leaders from across Chicago. While their peers enjoy the lunch in the cafeteria, team members will present it to advocates and leaders in Chicago’s culinary community.

What did team members have to say about the Cooking up Change experience?

"The best part was the experience of showing off our food and what we want in our own lunch rooms."
~ Vanessa

"You can make a lot of food with great flavors and it doesn’t have to be greasy. We came up with the menu using our heritage and culture."
~ Leo

"I learned there are a lot of ways to create new and fantastic dishes. There are healthier ways to cook."
~ Karen

"It’s all about how you work with your team. We’re making change so future generations can be healthier."
~ Leon

"We worked so hard. I'm so proud of my school. It was a long road with lots of ups and downs. People will know good things about our school now. We were underdogs, now we're first-place winners."
~ Marina

Congratulations, Washington!

Go for the Gold Spotlight: Congratulations to Armour School!

Congratulations to Armour School for achieving the Gold award in the HealthierUS School Challenge! Armour joins public schools across Chicago in meeting the challenge through Go for the Gold, a partnership of Chicago Public Schools and Healthy Schools Campaign that supports schools in meeting high standards for healthy food, physical activity and nutrition education. Armour met the challenge with the support of Healthy Places, an initiative of Healthy Chicago. This post is part of a series celebrating Go for the Gold schools.

At Armour Elementary School, students, parents, teachers and staff are working harder than ever on key areas of health and wellness. Students are moving in classrooms thanks to teachers’ use of “energizers” during classes and advisory periods. Because of a partnership with Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, the school has implemented a comprehensive strength and conditioning program during portions of physical education classes.  Plus students now have access to an expanded sports program for grades two through four thanks to extra funding from Fuel Up to Play 60 and After-School All-Stars.

The school represents an excellent example of community partners, staff, teachers and parents all working together with enthusiasm and purpose. Physical Education teacher Patrick Smith said, “I was impressed with the incredible involvement and the willingness of the staff at Armour to coach teams and play with students all year long.”

Key changes in nutrition education included cooking classes for parents and nutrition classes for students. Parents were asked to to contribute healthy or non-food treats to classroom celebrations.

Smith identified a few other crucial elements of the school’s success: Leadership from their principal, Shelley Cordova, support from the Asian Health Coalition and coordination from school counselor Kelly Wingate.

One of the greatest lessons, however, was learning that the entire school could successfully collaborate to achieve a big goal. “We proved to ourselves that we can complete a program,” Smith said. “Now when other programs or challenges arise, we understand what our strengths are in a given area.”

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Thanks to Armour School for speaking with us about this great accomplishment!

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Armour School’s achievement in Go for the Gold was supported by Healthy Places, an initiative of Healthy Chicago. Healthy Places is a collaborative effort between the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative, Cooperative Agreement Number 1U58DP002376‐01. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors/organizers and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Working Together to Give Children a Healthy Start: Jovita Flores' White House Champions of Change Blog

Yesterday we spotlighted the news that Jovita Flores, a longtime advocate for healthy schools and HSC's manager of Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables, has been recognzied by the White House as a Champion of Change. Jovita is one of 11 individuals to receive this honor, which recognizes sustainable innovation and leadership, in the area of strengthening food security. Today we are sharing a blog post from Jovita about her roots as a changemaker and about the future of food in America. This post originally appeared on the White House's Champions of Change website.

By Jovita Flores

As a mother, I know that healthy children are better prepared to learn and succeed in school. As a neighbor, I know that we can only change our community by working together. These two simple lessons have helped me connect with parents to make sure that our children have the healthy food they need to succeed at school. I’m honored to be recognized as a White House Champion of Change for this work, and I want to recognize all the mothers and fathers of Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables who have raised their voices and worked together for our children’s health.

I got involved in this work because of my own worries about my family -- I have a history of diabetes in my family and was concerned about my kids’ health. So I started asking other moms: are you concerned too? I was surprised when I heard nearly every mom tell me she was worried about the same thing. When I looked around, I realized that childhood obesity is a real problem in our community, more than in some others. At the same time, I saw the economic crisis hit our neighborhood hard. We have a lot of low-income families, and it was hard for people to put food on the table every day. But we have to do more than give our kids food -- we need to make sure it’s healthy food and that it gives them the energy they need to run around and to focus in school. We all want a bright future for our children, and it starts with making sure they are healthy and have the nutrition and energy to succeed.

So I started getting together with other moms and started a nutrition class that is also a leadership class and quite different from a typical nutrition course. The moms in the class bring a traditional recipe and work together to make a healthy new version. Those in the class started talking to other moms, and we started doing more. We planted gardens so we have fresh vegetables and talked to the restaurants in our neighborhood about how we want healthy options. We formed wellness teams at our kids’ schools and talked to the principals about why we need healthy food. Children spend so many hours in school -- we need the food they eat at school to reinforce the healthy changes we’re making at home. Around this time, the school district made significant changes to the school food program and started offering healthier food for breakfast and lunch.

Soon after seeing these improvements to the breakfast and lunch, I learned that they were piloting a Breakfast in the Classroom program that would let all children pick up a healthy breakfast when they got to school and eat it at their desk. I knew from talking to moms that many kids were going to school without breakfast, so I talked to the wellness team at our school to make sure we could pilot the program. It was a huge success -- kids love eating a healthy breakfast together, parents love knowing their kids are getting a nutritious start to the day, and teachers love that kids now have the energy to focus and learn. We started working with parents across the city to bring this program to their schools. When the district decided to bring Breakfast in the Classroom to every elementary school in the district, we heard that some were questioning the program’s value. So we worked together and gathered 5,000 petitions from parents supporting Breakfast in the Classroom.

Now, I’m happy to know that children across Chicago are starting their day with a healthy meal. As parents, we’re continuing our effort to make sure that our schools and neighborhoods are healthy places for our kids. We need to make sure that our children aren’t hungry, and also that the food they’re eating is healthy and gives them energy to learn. Today’s young students are the future of our country -- we’re working to make sure they have healthy food that will fuel their success for a lifetime.

Read more about Jovita Flores on the White House Champions of Change site. 

Plus: Read an interview with Jovita Flores and Guillermo Gomez about the founding of Parents United for Healthy Schools.

Empowering Families and Communities: The White House Recognizes HSC's Jovita Flores

Jovita Flores and USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon, with Champions of Change award.

Today we are thrilled to highlight the tremendous work of Jovita Flores, who serves as manager of Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables at HSC. As the new year begins, and we think about all the individuals who've inspired us in the past year, it's hard not think of Jovita.

This fall the White House highlighted her as one of 11 Champions of Change -- leaders who hailed from around the country and are at the forefront of erasing hunger and increasing wellness. 

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan commended Jovita and her fellow Champions of Change, saying: 

Today’s champions are examples of the groundbreaking work being done to tackle hunger at home and abroad. These individuals are making improved access to healthy food a reality for millions of individuals in need... We applaud the champions for their efforts to empower families and communities and to reduce the depth and severity of hunger around the world.

Back in Chicago, Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, personally recognized Jovita for her powerful work to address both child hunger and obesity through her efforts in the community and in school.

Jovita's remarkable personal vision, energy and dedication have driven her to the incredible work that garnered national recognition. In her nomination for the award, HSC President and CEO Rochelle Davis explained:

Jovita Flores is an inspiration, leader and advocate for healthy living in her community. She is also a friend and cheerleader to countless families seeking to put healthy food on their table each day. Neighbors and parents at local schools describe her as someone who has a way of showing up when they need help, someone who connects them with resources and unfailingly encourages them to make small changes to create healthier lives for themselves and for their families.

Jovita lives in Little Village, a primarily Latino Chicago neighborhood facing significant health disparities and high rates of both obesity and hunger. She is the manager and front-line advocate for Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables, a coalition that brings together parents and community members to create healthy school environments for the city’s children, particularly those in low-income minority communities with tremendous health disparities. In addition to connecting families and schools with the knowledge and resources for healthy eating, Jovita’s leadership has been key in laying the groundwork and maintaining momentum for Chicago’s breakfast in the classroom program, an initiative that ensures all children are able to start their day with a healthy meal.

. . . Jovita’s strategies are unique and innovative in that they are grounded in a recognition of the paradox that children and families who are at risk of hunger are also at great risk of obesity and its related health problems. Jovita focuses not just on connecting families with food, but on ensuring that this food provides the nutritional fuel for learning, growing and living a healthy and active lifestyle.

Jovita very simply embodies the messages she shares so effectively with families about the value of and practical approaches to healthy eating. She has personally embraced a commitment to healthy eating and demonstrates on a daily basis that this is a worthy and attainable effort: she shares her healthy versions of traditional recipes, introduces parents to new knowledge about hunger and childhood obesity, connects schools with resources and challenges everyone she meets to champion healthy eating as a way to create a bright future for children and families in our communities.

With heartfelt admiration and appreciate, HSC salutes Jovita Flores for her nationally acclaimed work. 

Plus: Tomorrow, we will feature the perspective that Jovita shared on the White House Champions of Change blog.

Weekend Physical Activity Boost: Stay Warm by Staying Fit this Winter!

By Lizzy Parker, HSC communications intern

Lizzy Parker is a junior at Colorado College and a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. As an intern at HSC, she enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for and knowledge about physical activity—and, that it can be fun!

When the thermometer drops, our motivation to exercise often does too.  It can be hard to maintain whatever exercise routine we keep during the summer when the weather turns cold and the days get shorter.  Beckoned by piping cups of hot chocolate and movies, kids are also less inclined to get outdoors.  When my own motivation begins to wane, I remind myself of something I know but often forget: exercise can be fun!
   
Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I have endured more than my fair share of brutally cold winters.  As a kid, however, the weather never stopped me from being outside.  From walking to and from school with my best friend to weekend afternoons at the outdoor ice rink, I remained active year-round. As kids, we loved it. The winter months are in many ways accommodating for fun-filled activity boosters. Though some of these ideas are obvious, I am here to remind you of them.  This weekend, forgo the screens,  get the family together, and move!

Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

• Ice skating
• Sledding
• Build something: igloos, snowmen, snow family, snow critters, mini golf course  
• Tag football: If you think this is only fun in the summer, think again.  Put on your best snow gear and grab your football.  Hint: this is best played when there is a lot of snow. It is surprisingly satisfying to make a touchdown while falling on a pillowy cloud of fresh snow.
• Snowshoeing: Walking with snowshoes automatically will make you feel more intense.  I guarantee your kids will find this activity very entertaining. Though designed for safely hiking in the mountains during the winter, snowshoeing can be done anywhere.  
• Cross country skiing: All you need is the gear and an open field.  Check your local area for places that rent boots and skis. If you have never does this before, I am warning you it is no joke -- this is a serious cardio workout.  But it is really, really fun.
• Snowball target practice: Snowball fights are fun, but tricky territory.  Someone’s feelings (or more) are bound to get hurt.  Instead, set up a target on a tree and take turns aiming for the bullseye.  
• Treasure hunt: If you have access to a GPS or a smartphone with GPS capabilities, you have all you need for Geocaching.  Geocaching is “a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.” Don’t have a GPS? Create your own treasure hunt by hiding items in the snow.  

Have fun!

Disclaimer: The recommendations on this blog are not meant to be a substitute for recommendations from your physician. Take care to consult with your physician if you have questions or concerns about beginning a new exercise regimen. As always, if something hurts, don’t do it. Know your body’s limits and refrain for pushing yourself too far, too fast. 

Congrats to Cooking up Change Denver: Q&A with a Winning Student

We were thrilled to launch the 2012-13 season of Cooking up Change with our flagship Chicago contest in November, followed a few weeks later with the next competition in Denver!

Denver winning team: Jennifer Esquivel, Janeth Alfaro-Mendoza, Ivan Pasillas-Banuelos, Maria Armendariz and Maria Gonzalez-Garcia, from Bruce Randolph School

Winning meal: Chicken Panini Wrap; Dijon Vinaigrette Coleslaw; Jalapeno-Infused Peach Crumble.

The winning students in Denver were recently honored for their regional win at a luncheon where their dish was served to guests. Next, it will be served in Denver Public Schools, and the team will travel to  Washington, D.C. to compete in the Cooking up Change National Finals. We caught up with one of the team members, Jennifer Esquivel from Bruce Randolph School, for a Q&A.

HSC: How did your team create your winning meal?

JE: Our chef mentors Rebecca and Angel [from Johnson and Wales University] brought out a piece of a paper and said, "throw some ideas out there." One of us said, "Why don't we do some kind of sandwich?" We originally thought of doing some kind of panini, but we decided in the end to make it a wrap. We put the spinach, cheese and chicken in a tortilla so you could see all the colors and layers. We wanted something that we would actually want to eat. 

HSC: How well did your team work together towards their victory? 

JE: We actually all knew each other really well, which helped. We were under pressure, because the contest  was timed! So someone would say, "Can you do this for me please?" and we would just do it. 

HSC: How did you feel, on the day of the contest?

JE: If my team was here, they would agree, we were really nervous! We were the first team that had to go present the dish [to the judges]. We were running out of time; I don't know how we did it, but we pulled it off.

HSC: What was your experience last week, when presenting your winning dish to the public?

JE: We were really excited. The luncheon was held by LiveWell Colorado at the Sheraton downtown, and about 600 people tried our dish! They loved it. That's what we were going for, something that anyone could enjoy, and something that looks good visually but also tastes really good.

HSC: What were some of your biggest challenges?

JE: The dessert! We tried a bunch of different variations on the recipe. Some said it was too bitter, some said it was too sweet. We thought, "we have to nail it." So we worked until we found a good balance.

HSC: Do you have any advice for next year's team?

JE: I'd tell them to really open up; there's a lot of different things out there in the world that we haven't tried. Or we are too scared to try. Don't be afraid to get out there to make new things. One of my team members wasn't even interested in cooking when we started. She hated it! Now she loves to cook. 

HSC: What was one big lesson you learned from working on this project?

JE: Our instructors taught us to really think about what we're buying and what we're eating. Like, don't just pick something out. Look at the label. Think about what you're eating or making for your family. I showed my mom how to read labels, and together we started doing that at home.

A big thanks to Jennifer Esquivel for sharing her story with us, and congratulations again to the winners of Cooking up Change in Denver!