Healthy Schools Campaign

Cooking up Change in California!

Alejandro (Alex) Hernandez with team captain Ashley Blanco, and Ivan Lope

We recently shared how excited we were to help bring our Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest to the West Coast, thanks to the work of local host Kid Healthy. We are happy to announce student chefs Ashley Blanco, Alejandro (Alex) Hernandez, and Ivan Lope took first place in the local contest and will represent Santa Ana at the national finals in May 2012.

The Valley High School students quickly adjusted to the spotlight! They got tips from Chef Katy Clark, of the reality television show "Food Network Star."

Cooking up Change Santa Ana student chefs with “Food Network Star” Chef Katy Clark

“It’s a blessing to know that my vocation for cooking will make a change in my community soon,” said Alex. “It’s an honor to be recognized this way. I am truly grateful for the opportunity I received -- the excitement I am feeling is unexplainable. It is a dream coming true.”

The trio will prepare lemon and spinach chicken, Tuscan bean salad, and cinnamon poached pears when they compete in the national finals alongside teams from Chicago, St. Louis, and Denver.

Cooking up Change Santa Ana’s student-created meal

Delish!

Congratulations Ashley, Alex, and Ivan! 

We have two more exciting local contests coming up!. Stay posted for more Cooking up Change updates on our blog. For more information about the healthy cooking contest, visit www.CookingupChange.org.

Plus: Read more about the Santa Ana team here! 

Healthy Children, Healthy Planet: Why We Care About School Food

We’ve teamed up with PEW Charitable Trusts and Whole Foods Market to present a dynamic discussion on school food entitled, “Healthy Children, Healthy Planet: Why We Care About School Food.” The free panel discussion will take place next Wednesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. and again on Thursday, March 15 at 10 a.m. at Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park located at 1550 North Kingsbury Street.

“Healthy Children, Healthy Planet” will examine the factors that work alongside each other in the lunchroom and provide a behind-the-scenes look at efforts to ensure school food is good for students and the planet in one of the largest school districts in the country.

“Healthy school food nourishes students’ well-being and potential, but it should also sustain the livelihood of local farmers and the environment,” said Healthy Schools Campaign president and CEO Rochelle Davis. “We are honored to bring together respected voices to showcase efforts to move nutritious meals and healthy school communities forward.”

Chicago is quickly emerging as a center for school food innovation. Earlier this year, Chicago Public Schools began serving scratch-cooked chicken, using unprocessed chicken from the USDA and unprocessed chicken raised without antibiotics on an Amish farm in Indiana. This effort builds upon a history of ground-breaking initiatives to improve school meals.

“Healthy Children, Healthy Planet” panels include Rochelle Davis, president and CEO and Mark Bishop, vice president of policy and communications for Healthy Schools Campaign; Angela Odoms-Young, PhD, assistant professor for UIC College of Applied Health Sciences; Rich Wolf, regional meat coordinator for Whole Foods Market; Dr. Lance Price, director at TGen North Center for Metagenomics; and Annie Lionberger, Manager of Health and Wellness Promotion for Chicago Public Schools.

We encourage parents, supporters, and advocates to register for the March 14 panel here and for the March 15 panel here.

We look forward to you joining the discussion!

Join Us! Webinars and Events on School Food Innovation

 

We're thrilled to announce HSC's new webinar and event series focused on innovations for healthy school food. We have five exciting discussions scheduled, each providing a national policy perspective and highlighting the voices of on-the-ground leaders who are making changes with important and far-reaching results.

We invite you to join us for these dynamic discussions:

Breakfast Matters: Successful Strategies for School Breakfast
March 5, 2012 · 1-2 PM central · Webinar
Learn more and register here »

Healthy Children, Healthy Planet: Why We Care About School Food
Presented with PEW Charitable Trusts and Whole Foods Market
March 14, 2012 at 7 PM · March 15, 2012 at 10 AM
at Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park, 1550 N. Kingsbury St. in Chicago
Learn more and register for March 14 event here »
Learn more and register for March 15 event here »

Farm to Cafeteria: Supporting Student Health and Local Farm Systems
March 22, 2012 · 1-2 PM central · Webinar
Learn more and register here »

Quiet Innovation for Healthy School Food
April 16, 2012 · 1-2 PM central · Webinar
Learn more and register here »

The Small Business Side of Improving School Food
May 1, 2012 · 1-2 PM central · Webinar
Learn more and register here »

Please join us. . . and invite your friends!

You can also find information and registration details online at www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/event/schoolfood.

Cooking up Change St. Louis Pair: “We just wanted to create something that was healthier and elegant”

When Clyde C. Miller Career Academy High School seniors Courtney Wheeler and Rose Bennett came in second place at last year’s Cooking up Change St. Louis contest, they were determined to compete again this year.

“It was a brilliant job because we knew what went wrong,” said Courtney. Rose added, “we decided to do it again to see what happens.”

Competing in the contest has provided valuable life skills for the student chefs. Courtney points to patience: “I learned not to get frustrated and to take my time.” 

Rose added that the she enjoyed being in the kitchen under pressure. “It gave me a rush to know that I have to get a dish done and make sure everything is perfect, looks good, and tastes good in a certain amount of time,” she said. 

Courtney Wheeler and Rose Bennett present their healthy school lunch to judges at Cooking up Change St. Louis.

Now the Missouri champion pair will take their lemon pepper chicken and brown rice with Caesar salad and berry parfait to Washington D.C. in May for the Cooking up Change national finals!

At the competition, Rosa and Courtney met St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, who said he was excited to see the teens represent St. Louis in the national finals. Rose and Courtney said the mayor’s excitement for the contest showed in his enthusiastic handshakes and congratulations. 

Here’s what else Rose and Courtney had to say about their win:

On the best part of Cooking up Change

Courtney: “Getting taught right from wrong in cooking and following all of the rules. The whole experience was amazing because it was something different.”

On the inspiration behind their meal

Rose: “We just wanted to create something that was healthier and elegant to open up our peers’ eyes. It is a way to open up their eyes to see that there are different forms of cooking other than frying or deep frying. We thought lemon pepper chicken was a way to get the elegance because you can create it any way. It was a way to express that we want healthy food in schools.”

On their perspective of healthy eating

Rose: “I want to make a way that food can taste good and be good for you. In some ways it has changed my perspective on healthy food. Now when I’m in the grocery store, I tend to go for the produce rather than the fatty foods. I want to make my own food instead of the more processed, prepared foods.”

The young culinary talents will refine their presentation in preparation for the Cooking up Change national finals. Upon graduating, the young chefs aspire to further their education and pursue careers in hospitality and culinary arts.

Once again, congratulations to the remarkable student chefs. Stay posted for more updates from Cooking up Change!

Colorado School Nurses Speak Up for School Wellness at State Capitol

by Donna Fishman

HSC is pleased to be partnering with the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Health Foundation for the Colorado School Nurse Leadership Institute, a three-day leadership training for Colorado’s school nurses.  The first day of training in October 2011 was led with the wisdom and expertise of national school nurse educators Phyllis Pelt and Martha Bergren as well as Cody Belzley from the Colorado Children’s Campaign. 

Last month, we held the second day of this training at the Colorado Department of Education, across the street from the beautiful state capitol. Belzley returned to educate the participants on the legislative process and essential advocacy skills, which were put to work at the State Assembly soon thereafter. A panel of two state representatives and one state senator shared their passion, key legislation, and tips for having an impact on legislators with the school nurses. Representatives Tom Massey and Cindy Acree as well as Senator Jeanne Nicholson participated in the panel discussion.

Sen. Nicholson is a former school nurse and really connected with the nurses as a colleague who has used her leadership skills to create state-level policies. She was a great role model for the nurses. 

“I will now be more engaged in what is going on at the state level and will contact my representatives and state my concerns when I feel something needs to be done,” said one nurse who participated in the session. 

Rounding out our training was a presentation on leadership by Mary Anne Wesoloski, a school nurse in Barrington, Ill., who completed the School Nurse Leadership Program back in 2008. Mary Anne has taken on a prominent role in advocating for school wellness in her school district and shared the many exciting initiatives she founded included a walking path and walking school bus. Mary Anne exemplifies the leadership undertaken by our School Nurse Leadership graduates. 

Colorado Regional School Nurse Consultants

“This training is amazing. I am so lucky to be part of this team. This feels life-changing to me,” said a school nurse participant after the presentation.  

School nurses are phenomenal advocates for school wellness. This institute challenges school nurses to go above and beyond to showcase their remarkable leadership on school and community health. 

As one nurse put it: “This training has really stretched my brain and made me think about what I can do.” 

Kudos to all of the Colorado school nurses who are taking part in the Colorado School Nurse Leadership Institute.  

For more spotlights on school nurses, check out our school nurse updates on the blog. And school nurses, be sure to sign up for our school nurse newsletter.

Cooking up Change in St. Louis!

The tray takeover came to St. Louis over the weekend! The city hosted a local Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest as part of a community health resources fair. 

Rose and Courtney present their school meal to the Cooking up Change St. Louis judge panel

We are happy to announce student chef pair Courtney Wheeler and Rose Bennett will represent St. Louis and join the Chicago and Denver teams at the national finals in May 2012.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay with Cooking up Change St. Louis winners 

The Clyde C. Miller Career Academy High School seniors and friends also met St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay who commended their hard work!

“We just wanted to create something that was healthier and elegant to open up our peers’ eyes,” said Rose on their inspiration. “It is a way to open up their eyes to see that there are different forms of cooking other than frying or deep frying.”

Rose and Courtney's winning Cooking up Change St. Louis meal

The duo prepared lemon pepper chicken and brown rice with Caesar Salad and berry parfait. Looks good!

Congratulations Courtney and Rose!

Stay posted for more Cooking up Change updates on our blog. For more information about the healthy cooking contest, visit www.CookingupChange.org.

Media Spotlights Student Chefs of Cooking up Change Chicago

Just last month, the school lunch created by the winning Cooking up Change Chicago team from Chicago Vocational Career Academy -- a tasty, healthy meal of oven-fried chicken, leafy greens and cabbage, and sweet potato salad -- was served to more than 20,000 Chicago Public high school students across the city. We'd like to thank national publication N'Digo and local newspapers including Chicago Defender, Southeast Chicago Observer, and Chicago Citizen for spotlighting the CVCA team. We'd also like to shout out NBC 5 and Power 92's "Sam Sylk Show" for coming out to share highlights from the school.

Winning Cooking up Change Chicago meal

Last fall, the CVCA crew competed against eleven teams of students chefs challenged to create a healthy school meal on a tight budget at Cooking up Change. More than 700 supporters came to taste these delicious student-created meals. School lunch blogger Mrs. Q was among the many supporters who spoke with students about changing the future of school food. National honorary co-chair Christie Vilsack attended the event to commend students’ efforts to rewrite the recipe for school food.

CVCA accepts Cooking up Change award!

Student chef Shaenice Dishmon is interviewed by NBC news at CVCA.

The students proudly shared their stories! Check out some of the media highlights below.

• Chicago Citizen - "CVCA student chefs serve winning dish, headed to nationals"
• Chicago Defender - "Students prepare healthy lunch"
• Medill - "CPS student 'chefs' serve award-winning lunch"
• WLS-TV (ABC 7) - "Vocational students to feed 20,000 CPS students"
• True Star Magazine - "Cooking up Change"
• Fed Up With Lunch – “Cooking up Change (Parts 1, 2 and 3)”
• Our Urban Times – “Roberto Clemente placed second Cooking Up Change contest”
• WLS-TV (ABC 7) – “Chef Matt Eversman of OON Chicago” 
• Vocalo – "Are You Fed Up With Lunch?"
• Now You Know – “Cooking Up Change: Students Transforming the Future of School Food” 
• WGN-AM 720 "Extension 720" – "Fed Up with Lunch"
• Reclama – “Campana para almuerzo saludables” 
• U.S. News & World Report - Students Compete to Design Better Lunches 

 

Sam Sylk interviews David Blackmon at CVCA

Congratulations to the talented student chefs who participated in Cooking up Change!

Cooking up Change: The Winning Moment

Today we're thrilled to share the winning moment from Cooking up Change, when the student chefs of Chicago Vocational Career Academy (CVCA) learned that they won first place with their flavorful lunch of oven-fried chicken with sides of sweet potato salad and collard greens and cabbage.

The students will receive scholarships to Washburne Culinary Institute and will travel to Washington, DC to compete in the Cooking up Change national finals. They will also see their meal served in high schools across Chicago!

Please join us in celebrating with this remarkable team!

Plus: Read more about the student chefs here!

Congratulations to the Winning Student Teams in Cooking up Change!

Kudos to the amazing student chefs who wowed judges and guests at Cooking up Change!

Student chefs celebrate at Cooking up Change

The first place team won a trip to Washington, DC to compete in the Cooking up Change national finals in May 2012 and will see their meal served in high schools across Chicago! Winning team members each received a scholarship to Washburne Culinary Institute to continue their education in the culinary arts.

The first-place team, Chicago Vocational Career Academy, won top honors with a dish featuring freshly-baked chicken. Students in the Chicago flagship contest are limited to ingredients that school dining managers in Chicago Public Schools are able to order for school lunch and this year for the first time, that list includes fresh chicken. (CPS recently began serving freshly-baked chicken as part of its school lunch program.) CVCA took advantage of this opportunity to create a healthy, great-tasting lunch that impressed judges and guests alike. You can learn more about the freshly-baked chicken in Chicago schools here.

Rochelle Davis, HSC President and CEO, with the CVCA team and their mentor, Chef Matt Eversman of OON Chicago

 Congratulations to all the inspiring and impressive student chefs!

First Place, Healthy School Lunch Chicago Vocational Career Academy (CVCA) Menu Oven-Fried Chicken with Dinner Roll Cousins (collard greens and cabbage) Sweet Potato Salad Team Culinary Students: Diamonte Baugh, Sheanice Dishmon, Kaliah Hunter, Ciara Lawton, Tatiana Rice, and Jerome Sims Mentor: Chef Matt Eversman of OON Chicago Culinary Instructors: David Fuller and Lorraine Harris

Second Place, Healthy School Lunch Clemente Community Academy Menu Slow Roasted Pulled Barbecue Turkey Sandwich with Slaw Apple-Berry Icee Baked Sweet Potato Chips Team Culinary Students: Diana Arroyo, Courtney Flenoy, Arnold Garcia, Abraham Molina, Hector Perez, Arianna Ray Mentor: Chef Randy Zweiban of Province Culinary Instructors: Anthony Ladson and Ernestine Maxie

Third Place, Healthy School Lunch Richards Career Academy Menu New Orleans Chicken and Polenta Napolean Mardi Gras Confetti Salad Royal Orange Hoppin' John Team Culinary Students: Sofia Adame, Mariela Escobar, Deunshay Jones, Aristeo Lopez, Steven Villegas, and Priscilla Wise Mentor: Chef Monica Hayes of Tasteful Manners Culinary Instructors: Mark Soltis and Katy Walsh

Audience Choice, Healthy After-School Snack Dunbar Vocational Career Academy Healthy Snack Pumpkin Bars  Team Culinary Students: Ciara Dixon, Kadijah Harris, LaKiesha Hopkins, James Martin, Alexandra Rodgers, and Keanu Ware Mentor: Chef Jim Freeland of Meatheads Burgers & Fries Culinary Instructors: Retondria Green, Chloe Gould, and Romelle Norrington

 

 

Congratulations to all the inspiring and impressive student chefs!

Student chefs from Washington High School present tastes of their healthy after-school snack

As students bring ingenuity to creating healthy school lunches, our sponsors, host committee and green leader circle bring support that makes Cooking up Change a reality. Many thanks to this generous team.

This flagship event kicks off our 2011-12 Cooking up Change season, with contests to follow in cities across the U.S. Stay posted for updates!

Student chefs of first-place team CVCA

Today We're Cooking up Change!

Ready, set, cook! Today, one team of high school students studying culinary arts in Chicago Public Schools will learn that the healthy school lunch they've created will be served in high schools across Chicago -- and that they will travel to Washington, DC to prepare their meal in the Cooking up Change national finals! (The winners of last year's national contest recently received a visit and congratulations from First Lady Michelle Obama!) 

The contest challenges students to create a great-tasting lunch that meets nutrition standards on a tight budget, using only ingredients commonly available for school food service. Students must create recipes that include no more than six steps so that they can easily be replicated on a large scale in real school kitchens. You can learn more about the contest and the impressive student teams here.

Check out this video to hear stories from the student chefs and the leaders who make Cooking up Change a reality:

As students bring ingenuity to creating healthy school lunches, our sponsors, host committee and green leader circle bring support that makes Cooking up Change a reality. Many thanks to this generous team.

We invite you to learn more and be part of Cooking up Change!

Cooking up Change Spotlight on Team Mentor Chef Randy Zweiban: "They are the creative process"

by Brittany Wright, media and outreach specialist

Chef Randy Zweiban has more than 20 years of experience that spans a career in Miami and Los Angeles. He also served as chef to Chicago’s Nacional 27 for nearly 10 years before opening Province three years ago. Zweiban’s signature cuisine incorporates the bold flavors of Central and South America as well as Spain.

“I really love incorporating that with farm to table cuisine, I love sourcing local food and local ingredients that are seasonally grown here in the Midwest and bringing that to our guests,” he said.

The restaurateur has been involved with Cooking up Change for several years. This year, Zweiban serves as a chef mentor to the culinary team from Clemente High School. 

“It’s so exciting to work with a great group of individuals and it’s wonderful to work with teachers that really care about the future of our children in America,” he said. “They are teaching healthy food choices in a way that is inspiring young people.”

Providing guidance to aspiring chefs is important for Zweiban. As a professional chef, he said it is his responsibility to provide a path to success for youth interested in the culinary arts. He notes, “I think it’s our jobs and our abilities that are going to help this country and younger generations grow.”

Chef Randy expressed how proud he is to work with the Clemente High team. “I’m quite honored to work with these individuals,” he said. “They’re really great kids, they have great souls, they're passionate, they care, they’re doing this in their own free time and I’ve very honored to be a part of what they’re doing.”

Zweiban said he was humbled by the mentoring experience. He notes that “it’s exciting to be able to have that kind of effect on people. At the end of the day, if I could just hopefully be a reasonable inspiration to them to help them in this endeavor that they’re excited about, that’s a thrill beyond belief.”

The chef praised their hard work, especially given the Cooking up Change contest parameters. The healthy cooking contest challenges student chefs to create healthy school meals using the same budgetary and nutritional guidelines as school food service departments across the country -- a true testament to these students’ talents and creativity.

“It’s fantastic that they get to work, rework and rework again to get there and come up with a product that’s really good,” said Chef Randy. “It’s something they want to eat. If they want to eat it then other people are going to want to eat it.”

Cooking up Change is not only a platform to showcase student talent, but also gives students a unique voice. Zweiban points out, “empowering them with the ability to do this is fantastic because instead of being dictated to, ‘you make this,’ ‘you do this,’ or ‘you cook this recipe,’ they are the creative process.” He adds, “For them to have ownership in it, they’re going to believe in it and prosper with it and teach others about it.”

Zweiban concluded, “I think it’s fantastic that there is this swelling, growing movement that people have really become aware of and care about.”

Thanks to Chef Randy and the Clemente team for giving us a sneak peek! Best of luck in the Cooking up Change competition!

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Are you Cooking up Change? Get your ticket for the Cooking up Change flagship contest and benefit on November 3.

Be sure to check back for stories from Cooking up Change alums, chef mentors, sponsors and students!

Plus! Purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a wine country getaway, culinary experience, or game system to support Cooking up Change! You can buy tickets online here, or at Cooking up Change next week!

Dear First Lady Michelle Obama . . .

Last week, we shared students' perspectives on school food and fitness. The value that health and wellness add to student success and education is tangible: health and wellness programs better prepare students to learn, fueling their potential. And as we continue to see, children are excited to be a part of a national movement.

Chicago supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s campaign to reverse childhood obesity through the Go for the Gold initiative and the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award challenge.

Students whose schools were recognized for achieving the HealthierUS School Challenge this year wanted to share a message with the First Lady and the rest of country! Check out their ideas in this video:

 

 What message regarding health and wellness would you like to send to our nation?

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If you would like to join in the PALA Challenge with Chicago schools, you can sign up with 1WORLD Sports. Not in Chicago? You can sign up through the national registration site.

To learn more about Go for the Gold, visit the Go for the Gold site or check out blog updates.

Plus! If you're in the Chicago area, you can support Go for the Gold when you shop at Dominick's this month -- or can volunteer to help out! Learn how you can make a difference.

Advocacy and More at the Green Clean Schools National Summit

Recently, HSC brought together more than 50 advocates, cleaning manufacturers, distributors and national partners in Washington, D.C. for our fourth Green Clean Schools National Summit. The day gave participants a chance to network, share updates and stories, and plan for future efforts to promote green cleaning in schools around the country. 

Andrea Falken, Acting Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools program and Kara Belle, Public Liaison for the U.S. EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection

At the summit, leaders in the green schools movement discussed recent efforts to promote national, state and local efforts to motivate schools to go green.

Participants heard about two exciting developments coming out of the federal government: the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools Program, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s State School Environmental Health Guidelines.

The Green Ribbon Schools Program is a new awards program to recognize schools that are creating healthy and sustainable learning environments and teaching environmental literacy. The program is expected to launch this spring and we will continue to share updates. (To hear more about HSC's vision for the program, check out our recent blog.)

Steve Ashkin, President of the Ashkin Group, LLC and Executive Director of the Green Cleaning Network

The U.S. EPA’s State Guidelines will be released this fall and are expected to help state agencies support schools as they implement programs to improve school environmental health.

Additional highlights from the day included:

• Updates on green certification and labeling, with representatives from Green Seal, UL Environment, Design for the Environment, and Ecoform. The panel did a wonderful job discussing recent changes in green cleaning certification and labeling and the impact these changes can have in the school environment.
• An update on state legislative efforts surrounding green cleaning. Carol Westinghouse, president of Informed Green Solutions, shared her recent efforts to pass green cleaning legislation in Vermont and HSC shared an overview of state green cleaning policies introduced in the last year. Nine states currently have green clean schools legislation and nearly 20 states have some type of policy – either a legislative initiative of an administrative rule – encouraging environmentally preferable purchasing or green cleaning.
• Building support for green cleaning outside of legislation. The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) discussed the upcoming publication of The Standard, NASBE’s journal, that will focus entirely on green cleaning and include articles on how to implement a green cleaning program, case studies of districts that have established successful programs, and guidelines for developing a green cleaning state policy. We think this publication will be an excellent tool for engaging state boards of education in the topic of green cleaning.

Mark Petruzzi, Vice President of Certification and Strategic Relations for Green Seal and Libby Sommer, Environmental Scientist for the U.S. EPA Design for the Environment program

We look forward to working with our partners from the summit to promote federal, state and local efforts to support green and healthy school environments. Thank you to all of our speakers and participants for making the summit a successful, informative day!

PE Teachers Take on PALA Challenge to Help School Communities "Stay Fit!"

Earlier this summer, we teamed up with 1 World Sports and Chicago Public Schools to host Champions for Wellness, a professional development event for physical education teachers. 

Cornell McClellan, personal trainer to the First Family of United States of America and member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition called PE teachers to action at the event and announced the Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards challenge in Chicago. McClellan said it best when he said, “PE teachers are natural champions for wellness.” 

This video spotlights Fuller Elementary PE teacher Mable Askew’s excitement to be a part of the movement.

 

PE teachers contribute a wealth of knowledge beyond the stereotypes they encounter of dodge ball and traditional "gym class." Physical education supports students in building social skills such as teamwork and self-esteem, teaches children about health and development and contributes to their fitness and overall health. Research also documents the many ways in which physical education and physical activity boost students' readiness to learn and succeed academically.

As Chicago participates in the PALA challenge, we are excited to see so many individuals in the school community -- including many PE teachers -- take on a leadership role to answer First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to reverse the childhood obesity trend.

As this Fuller Elementary PE teacher exclaims, “Stay Fit!”

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If you would like to join in the PALA Challenge with Chicago schools, you can sign up with 1WORLD Sports. Not in Chicago? You can sign up through the national registration.

Bonus! Chicago's PALA kick-off was featured on ABC Chicago! The event featured Chicago Fire president Julian Posada along with our partners 1WORLD Sports and Aetna. You can also view pictures of the event on our Facebook page.

Chicago Schools Take Steps to Fitness with PALA Challenge

Today, Chicago's kids are taking steps to fitness with the launch of the Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards challenge in Chicago schools!  The PALA challenge is a program that encourages people to make physical activity part of their daily lives. Students, teachers, school dining managers and many others at nearly 200 Chicago Public Schools have signed on to take the challenge!

Earlier this summer, HSC hosted Champions for Wellness where Cornell McClellan, personal trainer to the First Family of United States of America and member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition, announced the challenge. For six weeks, everyone who takes the challenge will commit to being active: students must log one hour of activity five days a week for six out of eight weeks, while adults log 30 minutes of activity five days a week. Alternatively, participants can track their steps using a pedometer and log steps rather than time. In Chicago, Aetna has generously donated pedometers to help students at participating schools track their steps.

We're thrilled that so many individuals and schools have responded to the challenge! Check out video of 1WORLD Sports' Ted Devine on the excitement of the challenge:

 

Stay posted for updates and stories from participants getting fit with their schools! 

If you would like to join in the PALA Challenge with Chicago schools, you can sign up with 1WORLD Sports. Not in Chicago? You can sign up through the national registration.

Fun, Creative Activities from the Ideas for Health and Wellness Contest

This summer, we hosted the Ideas for Health and Wellness contest, inviting you to share ideas, stories, and tips to support healthy changes in our schools. Throughout the summer, we received great  creative ideas for school wellness. Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations to our winners, who will receive a gift card and wellness prize for their schools!

A few of the many standout ideas shared in the contest include:

Ask each child to bring in a fruit they enjoy, cut into pieces, then add them all together into a huge bowl to make a friendship fruit salad! Have a new food of the day at snacktime, where students get to taste something healthy and new, then make a bar graph with their votes.  - Jennifer L. 

Teachers are the ultimate role models! Modeling healthy food and beverage choices during the school day can have a big impact, as well as insisting on only healthy fun food items for school parties and snacks. Drinking water during the day instead of having a can of soda on the desk is huge! Telling the kids how good you feel when you exercise helps them understand the emotional significance of exercise.  Having a chart on the wall by your desk tracking how far you walk in a week, how many times you went to the gym, etc. models how tracking our exercise can help us keep up a regular routine. - Ann C.

Plant sales are often successful -- students could raise the seedlings themselves or team up with a local nursery. - Hannah T.

Have an exercise-a-thon. The children/adult volunteers could pick from one of four exercises (jogging in place, jumping jacks, touching toes, etc.), taking pledges. The children would learn fundraising techniques for their schools, get exercise, and have fun. - Kay B.

These ideas and many more will support schools in making healthy changes! Ideas shared in the contest will be featured in resources and publications to help schools across the country implement health and wellness programs.

Kudos to all the parents, teachers, community and school leaders making a difference in their schools through food and fitness with such creative projects!

Support Healthy Food & Fitness in Chicago Schools When You Shop at Dominick's

This fall, you can support healthy food and fitness in Chicago schools when you shop at Dominick's and other Safeway stores!

With a few easy steps, a percentage of your purchases will be donated to Go for the Gold, a partnership of HSC and Chicago Public Schools to support Chicago schools in meeting high standards for food, fitness and nutrition education. Through Go for the Gold, Chicago is answering First Lady Michelle Obama's call to action for children's health.

To support this effort, you can:

Register your Dominick's Fresh Values card. Register your Dominick's Fresh Values card to automatically support Go for the Gold. When you use your registered card from now through September 12, Dominick's will automatically donate 10 percent of the purchase price of items specially-marked to Go for the Gold. Check your receipt for details throughout the program. Your total donated will be updated every time you shop!

Volunteer to be an advocate for Go for the Gold at your local Dominick's. From September 18 through October 13, all shoppers who use a Dominick's Fresh Values card will have a code printed on their receipts. Go for the Gold can earn 10 percent back on all receipts we collect with this code. You can help by volunteering to collect receipts from shoppers and share information about Go for the Gold at your local Dominick's. Learn more and sign up to volunteer at your local store.

No Dominick’s in your area? Find out how you can participate with other Safeway stores. 

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To learn about the great work happening with Go for the Gold in Chicago, check out our blog updates here!

Special Green Cleaning Encore Webinar Tomorrow!

Healthy Schools Campaign just wrapped our Green Cleaning Webinar Series, a series of online seminars featuring national leaders and on-the-ground experts on green cleaning in schools. These concise and practical sessions, offered free of charge, can help you begin a green cleaning program or expand and enhance a program that is already underway at your school. Missed the webinars? You can also check out the archives here. 

Our encore presentation, Green Cleaning Awards for Schools and Universities will take place tomorrow, Thursday August 25. Speakers will highlight best practices and practical tips for easily completing the application as well as background and history on the award. The goal of the webinar is to make it easy for schools and their partners to apply for the award.

Speakers include:

• Steve Ashkin, The Ashkin Group LLC. Ashkin is president of The Ashkin Group, a consulting firm specializing in greening the cleaning industry, and executive director of the Green Cleaning Network. He is well known throughout the professional cleaning, education, healthcare, and building-management industries as the "Father of Green Cleaning." He has played a pivotal role in setting industry standards, promoting environmentally preferable products, and advocating for socially responsible practices. 
• Mark Bishop, Healthy Schools Campaign. Bishop's career has focused on advocacy and communication for wellness, environmental health and justice, particularly in the school environment. At HSC, Mark focuses on state and national advocacy for school food reform and environmental health issues including green cleaning, healthy and energy-efficient schools and equitable school building funding. He was instrumental in bringing the Green Clean Schools Act to Illinois, the second state in the nation to require green cleaning in schools, and in national efforts to advocate for state-level policies that support health and sustainability.

You can register for this online session here. 

We look forward to bringing you another exciting webinar! 

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For more information about the Green Cleaning Awards, visit American School and University's award page. 

Bonus!  Be sure to check out our Green Clean Schools National Summit September 13 in Washington D.C.

Ideas for Health & Wellness Contest! Tips for Physical Education in the Classroom

Physical activity improves cognitive, emotional, and physical health. Children who are physically active are better prepared to learn. To make the most of this connection between physical activity and learning -- and to give kids a quick break to be active during the day -- schools are incorporating physical activity into everyday classroom culture.

This week, Healthy Schools Campaign asks:

How do you incorporate physical activity into the classroom?

Submissions close Sunday, August 14 at 11:59 p.m.

Remember, there are four ways to enter Healthy Schools Campaign's Ideas for Health & Wellness Contest:

Facebook. Like us on Facebook. When each week’s question is posted, respond to the question with a comment that shares your story, idea, and tips. (Please remember to share your ideas as a comment on each week’s post rather than as a general comment on HSC’s wall.)

 

Twitter. Follow @healthyschools. When each week’s question is posted, tweet with your idea with the tag #hscidea. There’s only 140 characters, so make ‘em count! (Submissions that do not include #hscidea will not be counted . . . we may not be able to find them!).

 

Blog. Each week, we’ll post a question on our blog. Share your story, idea, and tips in the comments section of that week’s post. 

 

 

Email. Send an email with your idea to [email protected] for that week's question. Put the question in the subject line.

 

We will randomly select a winner who will be contacted in respect to their submission. (Facebook winners will receive a message, Twitter winners will receive a DM, and blog commenters will receive an email). We’ll share stories and ideas from the contest in the coming weeks. All entrants will be recognized when their ideas are used.

Questions? Contact us.

This is your last chance to enter the contest! Good luck! We look forward to hearing your ideas! 

Ideas for Health & Wellness Contest! Tips for Nutrition Education in the Classroom

Schools across the country are taking a new look at wellness and working to create a school culture where messages about healthy eating and physical activity are a regular part of the school day. To support this effort, teachers are working to bring nutrition education messages into a variety of lessons and are creating innovative ways to share lessons about balanced eating and healthy habits. 

This week, as part of our Ideas for Health & Wellness Contest, Healthy Schools Campaign asks:

How do you make messages about healthy eating part of the classroom?

Submissions close Sunday, August 7 at 11:59 p.m.

Remember, there are four ways to enter Healthy Schools Campaign's Ideas for Health & Wellness Contest:

Facebook. Like us on Facebook. When each week’s question is posted, respond to the question with a comment that shares your story, idea, and tips. (Please remember to share your ideas as a comment on each week’s post rather than as a general comment on HSC’s wall.)

 

Twitter. Follow @healthyschools. When each week’s question is posted, tweet with your idea with the tag #hscidea. There’s only 140 characters, so make ‘em count! (Submissions that do not include #hscidea will not be counted . . . we may not be able to find them!).

 

Blog. Each week, we’ll post a question on our blog. Share your story, idea, and tips in the comments section of that week’s post. 

 

 

Email. Send an email with your idea to [email protected] for that week's question. Put the question in the subject line.

 

We will randomly select a winner who will be contacted in respect to their submission. (Facebook winners will receive a message, Twitter winners will receive a DM, and blog commenters will receive an email). We’ll share stories and ideas from the contest in the coming weeks. All entrants will be recognized when their ideas are used.

Questions? Contact us.

Good luck! We look forward to hearing your ideas!