Healthy Schools Campaign

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.

Because Every Child Deserves a Healthy School

Recess. Good food. Clean, fresh air.

At Healthy Schools Campaign, we believe all children should have access to school environments that truly support their health and learning.

With your support, HSC has made significant progress in creating healthier schools and addressing the health crises of childhood obesity and asthma. 2012 has been an especially exciting and impactful year. Today, we are happy to share a snapshot of our these efforts:

Transforming School Food 350,000+ students in Chicago Public Schools are eating healthier school food—including regionally-grown produce and chicken raised without antibiotics in nearby Indiana—thanks to policies and practices the district has put in place with HSC’s support.

Transforming School Fitness All Chicago elementary students will enjoy the benefits of recess this year! HSC parent leaders have advocated for the return of recess for years, working at both the school and district levels to speak up about the importance of recess for learning and development. HSC played a major role in successfully advocating for this policy change.

Transforming School Facilities + Operations 125,000+ school decision-makers are greening their schools with the support of HSC’s Quick + Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools, a resource that equips schools to implement a healthy, environmentally responsible cleaning program.

Transforming the Classroom Experience 100+ teachers representing 55 Chicago schools are teaching lessons in healthy new ways thanks to Fit to Learn, HSC’s professional development program focused on integrating physical activity and nutrition education seamlessly into the classroom and school.

Transforming School Nursing 97 percent of school nurses who completed HSC’s School Nurse Leadership Program reported that they had made changes related to school food just six months after completing the training. HSC has built a strong community of nurse advocates across the nation and a solid foundation for advocacy in school nursing.

Give the gift of physical activity, good food and clean air. You have the power to help make healthy schools a reality. Please consider making a year-end gift. Your contribution will make a real impact on our ability to ensure that schools can provide students with healthy environments, nutritious food, opportunities for physical activity and experiences that support lifelong healthy habits. Thank you and happy holidays!

Because Every Child Deserves Good Food

As 2012 comes to a close, we are taking a moment to reflect on HSC's work this year and on the reasons we believe this effort is so important. Thank you for being part of this movement!

--

The food children eat in school can fuel their learning, boost their focus and teach important lessons about healthy eating. When schools integrate nutrition education and teach children where food comes from, they’re helping write the recipe for lifelong healthy habits. Plus, creating healthier school meals can be a catalyst for change in our food system, bringing wider access to healthy options. That’s why Healthy Schools Campaign advocates for good food in the school cafeteria and beyond—so all children are nourished to learn and grow.

Learn more and get involved in making sure all children have good food at school. To hear stories from advocates, parents, teachers and principals who are making healthy food a priority, visit the school nutrition section of HSC’s blog. The food students eat at school goes beyond the cafeteria to include snacks, celebrations and rewards. For tips on making these part of a healthy food culture at school, download our practical tip sheet [pdf].

 

Give the gift of healthy food. You have the power to make sure every child has access to a school lunch that fuels learning. Your tax-deductible gift supports Healthy Schools Campaign’s ongoing advocacy for nourishing school meals, healthy snacks and a food system that supports healthy choices. This brings great benefits not only for kids’ health, but for their learning as well.
Make a gift »

Impact: Making Chicken Raised without Antibiotics Part of School Lunch
Changes for school food can have powerful implications for kids’ health and for our food system. For example, HSC and a coalition of partners worked with Chicago Public Schools to make chicken raised without antibiotics part of the school meal program.The group identified a key market opportunity with Miller Poultry, which sells much of its chicken breast meat to Whole Foods and much of its thigh meat to Chipotle restaurants. It hadn’t found a good market for the drumsticks, which are too small to appeal to most retail customers but the perfect size for schoolchildren. The district went on to make a pioneering purchase of 1.2 million pounds of chicken drumsticks from Miller, which are now served at 473 CPS elementary and secondary schools. This came with another powerful change: cooking chicken from scratch in CPS for the first time in more than three decades. This is part of a broader effort in Chicago, with HSC’s support, to shape a school meal program that not only meets high nutrition standards but also gives consideration to where and how food is grown and raised. Read more on HSC’s blog »

Most schools have about $1 per meal available to spend on ingredients for a school lunch.

 

At Healthy Schools Campaign, we work to ensure that all children have access to school environments that support their health and learning. To learn more, visit us online or contact us. In the weeks ahead, we will share more about our impact and our work for environmental health. Thank you for being part of the movement for healthy schools.

HSC Welcomes Cooking up Change National Honorary Co-Chairs Amy Rule and Christopher Kennedy

HSC is thrilled to announce that Amy Rule and Christopher G. Kennedy will join Karen Duncan as this year’s National Honorary Co-Chairs of Cooking up Change. These wonderful leaders bring a unique and powerful voice to promoting healthy eating for all students.

We extend a heartfelt welcome to Amy Rule and Chris Kennedy, and sincere thanks to Karen Duncan for her continued support!

Hear directly from our National Honorary Co-Chairs about why they support Cooking up Change:

**

"Healthy students are better prepared to learn. From the kitchen to the classroom, Cooking up Change empowers students to take an active role in their health and wellness. I congratulate them and look forward to seeing the results of their hard work."
Amy Rule, National Honorary Co-Chair of Cooking up Change, First Lady of the City of Chicago

 

"I’m proud to partner with the students of Cooking up Change in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. I admire their dedication and passion to bring that fight directly into their schools and make a difference in their own lives and their fellow students’ lives. More nutritious and more affordable groceries and meal options are the focus of Top Box Foods as well, and together we will reach more people through churches, community organizations and schools. These students are a great example of how every individual can be a part of the solution in the epidemic of hunger."
Christopher G. Kennedy, National Honorary Co-Chair of Cooking up Change, Founder, Top Box Foods

"Everybody finds something they care about doing in life, something that empowers them and brings out their talent. I completely admire that these students have found such passion, creativity and vision for making good food. I thank them for focusing this talent on school food in particular. I am happy to be working with these students in Cooking up Change to help make their vision for school food a reality in their schools and in schools across the nation."
Karen Duncan, National Honorary Co-Chair of Cooking up Change, Wife of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

**

Thank you to our wonderful National Honorary Co-Chairs!

Next Friday, November 9, HSC will launch our 2012-13 Cooking up Change season with our flagship Chicago contest and benefit! We invite you to learn more and purchase tickets online at www.cookingupchange.org.

HSC Releases Fourth Edition of Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools, Celebrates Impact of Green Clean Schools Movement

Today, we are releasing the fourth edition of our Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools!

HSC is pleased to announce the release of this updated edition of the highly-regarded guide and recognize the team whose support has made the impact of this guide and the related Green Clean Schools initiative so significant.

Since HSC launched the Green Clean Schools initiative in 2006, the movement for green cleaning in schools has grown significantly, with state-level legislation requiring green cleaning in schools, federal recognition of the importance of green cleaning, recognition from national education stakeholders, marketplace change and much more.

The fourth edition was developed with the support of 25 national education stakeholder organizations and 22 cleaning industry corporate sponsors following the distribution of nearly 125,000 copies of the popular previous editions.

“It’s incredible to see how much the movement for green cleaning in schools has grown since we launched the first guide in 2006,” said Rochelle Davis, executive editor of the guide and President and CEO of HSC. “We’ve seen huge strides in policy, in the marketplace and on the ground in schools as more and more leaders embrace cleaning for health while protecting the environment. We are proud to be part of making this change and are proud of the team that has come together to support it.”

Ten states now require green cleaning in schools and the federal government now recognizes green cleaning as a priority with programs such as Green Ribbon Schools and the recently-released EPA state school environmental health guidelines. The marketplace for green cleaning has also shifted, with industry leaders offering an ever-increasing range of effective and cost-comparable green options.

As more schools seek to go green, The Quick & Easy Guide offers an authoritative, easy-to-use resource for getting started or moving forward with a healthy, effective, affordable and environmentally responsible cleaning program.

The updated fourth edition, which includes practical advice for addressing today’s cleaning challenges, builds on the success of time-tested earlier editions. The guide outlines five steps for starting or enhancing a green cleaning program, such as using green products and equipment, adopting new cleaning procedures and involving all school stakeholders in the process. The guide also includes an enhanced purchasing directory with hundreds of products that meet HSC’s environmental standards for schools.

With the launch of this fourth edition, HSC is specially recognizing the sponsors who have supported the guide since its release in 2006:

• Green Team Leaders:  Ecolab; EnvirOx, LLC; ProTeam; SCA Tissue North America
• Green Team Members:  Georgia-Pacific  Professional; GOJO Industries, Inc.; PortionPac Chemical Corporation; Staples Advantage
• Green Team Supporters:  Betco Corporation; Rochester Midland Corporation; Spartan Chemical Company, Inc.;Unisource Worldwide, Inc.
• Green Team Affiliates:  Enviro-Solutions, Ltd.; Unger Enterprises, Inc.

Steve Ashkin, author of the guide and president of The Ashkin Group LLC, explained that the guide’s strength comes from the diverse coalition involved in its development and distribution.

“What sets the guide apart is the broad involvement it has garnered from both education leaders and corporate leaders in the cleaning industry,” said Ashkin. “The information is practical for schools and practical for the companies providing products to schools. It illustrates how green cleaning is a win-win for education and for industry, and how much sense it makes to take steps toward protecting health and our environment with a green cleaning program.”

To learn more and access the full guide, visit www.greencleanschools.org.

--

 

Corporate Green Team Sponsors

Green Team Leaders

• Ecolab, Inc.  *
• EnvirOx, LLC  *
• P&G Professional
• ProTeam *
• SCA Tissue North America *

Green Team Members

• Georgia-Pacific Professional *
• GOJO Industries, Inc.  *
• PortionPac Chemical Corporation  *
• Staples Advantage *

 Green Team Supporters

• Betco Corporation  *
• Buckeye International, Inc.  
• Chase Products Co. 
• Multi-Clean, Inc.  
• Rochester Midland Corporation *
• Spartan Chemical Company, Inc. *
• Unisource Worldwide, Inc. *

Green Team Affiliates

• Anderson Chemical Company
• Enviro-Solutions, Ltd.  *
• National Chemical Laboratories, Inc.  
• Pro-Link, Inc.
• Sunburst Chemicals
• Unger Enterprises, Inc. *

* Indicates that this sponsor has supported the guide in each edition since its launch in 2006.

 -- 

Participating Organizations

• American Association of School Administrators
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
• American Federation of Teachers
• American School & University
• Association of School Business Officials International
• Children’s Environmental Health Network
• Coalition for Community Schools
• Council of Educational Facility Planners International
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters – Public Services Division
• International Executive Housekeepers Association
• ISSA, The Experts on Cleaning and Maintenance
• National Association of Charter School Authorizers
• National Association of Elementary School Principals
• National Association of School Nurses
• National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
• National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education
• National Association of State Boards of Education
• National Education Association Health Information Network
• National Parent Teacher Association
• National School Plant Management Association
• Parents for Public Schools
• Public Education Network
• School Nutrition Association
• Service Employees International Union
• U.S. Green Building Council

Celebrate With Us at Cooking up Change!

Cooking up Change is a genuinely meaningful benefit event -- and it's also a ton of fun. (Why else would we keep doing it?)

Here are a few of our favorite things about Cooking up Change:

You'll meet some amazing folks. More than 650 guests come together from across the city, connecting dynamic new leaders from our culinary and cultural communities with political leaders, advocates, aspiring student chefs and a diverse crowd interested in wellness, food and sustainable design.

You'll love the view -- and look so fancy in all the photos. The Skyline Loft at the Bridgeport Art Center is a totally hip space that will make your Facebook friends so jealous when they see what you've been up to. It's housed in the former Spiegel Catalog warehouse and features historic details, soaring ceilings and one of those jaw-dropping views of the Chicago skyline. 

There's plenty of toasting (and reasons to toast). Guests will raise a glass with complimentary beer and wine and enjoy yummy seasonal hors d’oeuvres from Chicago's leading chefs and caterers. Then there's the live music, first-rate silent auction and raffle related to everything from travel to wellness to sustainability. It's hard to go wrong with a line-up like that.

You'll get a free ride! The folks at Uber are offering free rides with their on-demand black car service for Cooking up Change guests who are new to Uber. Just use the promo code we'll share to request a ride, and a private driver will arrive to whisk you and your friends to and from the party at no cost!

The competition is delicious. In what's perhaps our most favorite aspect of Cooking up Change, you'll taste samples created by culinary students in Chicago Public Schools, cast votes for an audience choice award and witness an awards ceremony that's more exciting than anything on reality TV. Being with the students for their special moment makes the whole evening pretty darn priceless. 

You can learn more and purchase tickets online.

Friday, November 9, 2012
6-10 PM

Skyline Loft at the 
Bridgeport Art Center
1200 W. 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60609

We'll be there -- and we hope to see you there, too!

 

Support Parents United for Healthy Schools in the Voices of Health Contest

Exciting news! Healthy Schools Campaign has been nominated for the 2012 Aetna Voices of Health Awards, which means we're being honored as one of the nation's top community health organizations. In particular, our Parents United for Healthy Schools coalition is in the spotlight! We're thrilled to receive this recognition and excited about the opportunity to let more people know about the amazing work parents are doing to create healthy environments at school -- and health futures for children -- in many of Chicago's Latino and African-American communities.

Please take a moment to show your support by heading to the Voices of Health site and voting for HSC! With each vote, we'll get that much closer to being named the winner and an award of $30,000, which will go a long way in bringing programs like Parents United to even more people.

Check out HSC's video and cast your vote online here. You can vote up to 10 times!

Plus: This summer, Parents United received national recognition for success in promoting healthy school environments and engaging parents in advocating for wellness as a social justice issue. Learn more about Parents United here!

Calling All Green Clean Schools! Announcing the 2012 Green Cleaning Award for Schools & Universities

Does your school have a successful green cleaning program? Now you can spotlight this great work with the 2012 Green Cleaning Award for Schools & Universities!

This award, presented in collaboration with American School & University magazine and the Green Cleaning Network, recognizes the efforts of schools around the nation with outstanding green cleaning programs. Through national recognition, it honors schools and their partners that embrace green principles and practices in their maintenance operations.

The judging criteria for the award are based on the Five Simple Steps to Green Cleaning outlined in HSC's Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools.

Winners will be profiled in a special supplement in the December issue of American School & University.

You can learn more or download an application here. Applications must be received by September 10, 2012.

Don't miss this opportunity to spotlight your school's green cleaning program!

Plus: Check out great stories about past winners of this prestigious award in the Green Clean Schools section of HSC's blog! You can also hear from past winners in HSC's Green Cleaning Webinars.

Welcoming the James Beard Foundation as Official Culinary Partner for Cooking up Change!

We are thrilled to announce that the James Beard Foundation (JBF) has signed on as the official culinary partner for HSC’s Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest! Through this participation, JBF will bring their tremendously valuable culinary perspective to Cooking up Change and build support in the culinary community for healthy, sustainable school food. Kris Moon, Director of Charitable Giving and Strategic Partnerships for JBF, explained:

As America’s fascination with food grows, the issues that surround access to healthy food have taken on tremendous national importance. Recognizing our unique role in celebrating, nurturing, and preserving America’s diverse culinary heritage and future, the James Beard Foundation has increased our commitment to education. At our annual food conference, we convene thought leaders from around the country to work towards a common goal of creating a more sustainable food system, and through our partnerships with the Kids Food Festival and the Children's Museum of Manhattan we help connect passionate chefs with children, who learn about making balanced food choices through fun and delicious activities. As the official culinary partner for the Cooking Up Change competition finals, we are excited to help build support for healthier food in schools across America.

Kris will join Chef Nora Pouillon and Chef Richard Brandenburg on the judging panel for the Cooking up Change national finals on May 21. Many thanks and a warm welcome to the James Beard Foundation!

Plus: Check out the Cooking up Change spotlight on the James Beard Foundation’s blog!

Advocates, National Leaders Gather for Presentation of Recommendations to Secretary Sebelius and Secretary Duncan

L-R: Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services; Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of Healthy Schools Campaign; Gail Christopher, Vice President of Program Strategy for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education; Jeff Levi, Executive Director, Trust for America’s Health

Yesterday, HSC hosted a special event with Trust for America’s Health at the National Press Club to release our recommendations for improving education through wellness to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

We were thrilled that such a remarkable group of national leaders came together for an event focused on the idea that healthy students are better prepared to learn. In addition to HSC’s Rochelle Davis and Jeff Levi of Trust for America’s Health, speakers included:

• Gail Christopher, Vice President for Programs, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Helayne Jones, President and CEO, Colorado Legacy Foundation
• Melinda Landau, Manager of Health and Family Support Programs, San Jose School District
• Allison Slade, Founder and Principal, Namaste Charter School
• Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association
• Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers
• Stephanie Whyte, Chief Health Officer, Chicago Public Schools

The Health in Mind recommendations reflect a new approach to making health and wellness part of the school experience. We invite you to check out the executive summary and recommendations online. In the days ahead, we will share case studies illustrating these ideas in action.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Many thanks to the remarkable advocates and leaders who made the Health in Mind launch a success!

Plus: Check out press coverage of Health in Mind! Reuters, Education Week, NEA Today and AFT News published coverage and analysis of the recommendations and event.

Physical activity break at the Health in Mind recommendations release event

HSC and Trust for America's Health Present Recommendations to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius

HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) today released policy recommendations focused on supporting schools in addressing health and wellness in order to improve student learning and achievement. The recommendations were presented to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

“Healthy students are better prepared to learn and succeed in school,” said Rochelle Davis, HSC President and CEO. “An increasing body of research backs up this common-sense notion. This is especially critical in light of the vast health disparities that exist in our nation. Unless we address health and wellness in schools, our nation’s efforts to close the achievement gap will be compromised.”

The recommendations, Health in Mind, note that incorporating health and wellness into school culture and environment, student services and curricula can support student health, help close the achievement gap and ensure this generation does not become the first in American history to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.

Two years ago, the Affordable Care Act created the National Prevention and Health Promotion Council (NPC), which brought together 17 federal cabinet agencies and offices from across the government to address prevention.  The NPC released the National Prevention Strategy, which commits the entire federal government, not just the health agencies, to integrating health into their work.

“The Strategy and these recommendations represent a major culture shift in how the nation views health – health will no longer be separated from education, transportation, housing and other clearly connected policies,” said Jeff Levi, executive director of TFAH and Chair of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. “Health in Mind’s focus on students and schools promises to have a long-term payoff by improving education and the quality of life for today’s kids as they grow up – they will do better in school and be healthier.”

Health in Mind focuses on several federal initiatives and policies that can broadly benefit the health, well-being and education of the nation’s students. Some of the recommendations include:

• Prepare principals and teachers to promote student health and wellness through professional development programs and in-service training that equips them to identify and address student health issues while creating classroom and school environments that support all students’ wellness.
• Provide schools with strategies to partner with parents as agents of change for integrating health and wellness into education.
• Incorporate health and wellness into school metrics and accountability systems to allow schools to make data-driven decisions about how health and wellness impact student learning.
• Incorporate health and wellness into recognition programs to motivate schools to adopt policies and practices that promote student health and wellness.
• Increase the Department of Education’s capacity to provide leadership and guidance on integrating health and wellness into schools as a way to improve academic performance.
• Reduce barriers that schools face when seeking reimbursement for health services delivered to Medicaid-eligible students, providing a level of funding that can increase access to health and prevention services, particularly through school nursing.
• Re-think the role schools can play in our nation’s prevention efforts and the ways that the Department of Health and Human Services can support schools in creating the conditions for health.

“Together, we can create the conditions for health and well-being in our nation’s schools,” said Gail Christopher, vice president – program strategy for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a partner and funder of this work. “Implementing these recommendations can build on existing momentum and accomplish meaningful change that shapes children’s health and learning for a lifetime.”

At the presentation of recommendations, union leaders representing the nation’s teachers voiced support for prioritizing health in schools.

“The link between student health and student achievement is not theoretical—it is a fact.” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “Yes, there are many educational and academic issues that we need to address. But making schools better also means that we must create environments that provide steady support for health and good nutrition.”

“Our members work with students every day whose health and school conditions impede their ability to learn," said National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel. "That’s why NEA members are taking the lead to advocate for school and learning conditions that result in a higher level of student engagement and fewer absences."

More than 70 organizations signed on to the Health in Mind vision statement also presented at the briefing.

--
We invite you to learn more! Check out the executive summary and full recommendations online.

Milestones and New Initiatives in the Weeks Ahead!

This week, HSC is kicking off one of our busiest and most exciting months yet! The weeks ahead are filled with dynamic events and new opportunities built on work for healthy food and fitness in schools. We are excited to share these milestones and new initiatives!

Health in Mind: Improving Education through Wellness · May 9
We believe that healthy students are better prepared to learn and that schools must address health and wellness in order for all kids to achieve. On May 9, we will bring this message to national leaders as we present policy recommendations to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at a special event in Washington, D.C. Our nation is facing a dual crisis: a growing achievement gap and children who for the first time in history may live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.These recommendations focus on simple, common-sense steps initiated at the federal level that can help schools leverage the power of health and wellness to boost student achievement. Learn more about Health in Mind here.
* If you are interested in learning more about the event, please contact Alex Schaible by email or at 312-419-1810.

Congressional Briefing on Serving Food Raised without Antibiotics in School Lunch · May 10
The high school culinary students who placed first in HSC’s Cooking up Change Chicago healthy cooking contest wowed judges with a lunch featuring freshly-baked chicken drumsticks. That chicken was raised without antibiotics on Amish farms in nearby Indiana, like much of the chicken now on the menu in Chicago Public Schools. On May 10, the students will take part in a Congressional briefing on serving food raised without antibiotics in school lunch. That day, the lunch they created will be served for lunch in the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria! Learn more here.
* Send a letter inviting your senators and representative to attend the briefing and try the students’  award-winning school lunch!

Parents United for Healthy Schools Annual Summit · May 17
The parent leaders of HSC’s Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables will have much to celebrate and much work ahead as they gather for the sixth annual Parent Summit for Healthy Schools. This coalition, which brings together parents from Chicago’s Latino and African-American communities to speak up for school wellness as a way to address health disparities, has achieved new victories for children’s health. Parent-led wellness teams have initiated school-level changes across the city and successfully advocated for important district policies, including bringing recess and Breakfast in the Classroom to the city’s elementary schools. Parents are now looking ahead to supporting schools in making wellness a priority as the city transitions to a longer school day. Learn more about Parents United here.
* For live updates from the parent summit, follow HSC on Twitter and keep an eye out for #ParentsUnited on May 17.

Fit to Learn Graduation · May 18
Teachers who have completed HSC’s year-long Fit to Learn professional development program will celebrate their graduation at a special event bringing together principals and district leaders to share ideas and strategies for boosting wellness in schools. Fit to Learn focuses on practical approaches to making health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience. Teachers gain the skills to fit healthy habits into daily learning—integrating nutrition education and fitness into classroom lessons that meet learning standards in math, reading, science, social studies, art and music. Learn more here.
* Bring healthy new ideas to your classroom! Check out activities and stories from Fit to Learn teachers on HSC’s blog.

Cooking up Change National Finals · May 21
Across the country, student chefs are cooking up change! These teams of high school culinary students have impressed judges and guests at local competitions and are now getting ready to compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C. Teams are challenged to create a healthy school meal that meets high nutrition standards on a tight budget and with limited ingredients. Teams from Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, Santa Ana, St. Louis and Winston-Salem have secured their spots in the national finals. Which team will take home the trophy? Learn more here.
* Send your compliments to the chefs! Cheer on the teams with a tweet using #CookingupChange or a message on HSC’s Facebook page.

Cooking up Change Congressional Briefing · May 22
The day after the cooking contest, the student chefs will bring their healthy school meals to Congress! A student-designed lunch will be served in the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria and at a Congressional briefing on the future of school food. At this briefing, the student chefs will share their experience and speak about why healthy school food matters. Learn more here.
* Send a letter inviting your senators and representative to attend the briefing and try the students’  award-winning school lunches!

Go for the Gold in Food and Fitness Celebration · May 30
At this celebration, we’ll recognize the second cadre of schools to meet the rigorous standards of the HealthierUS School Challenge through Go for the Gold, HSC’s partnership with Chicago Public Schools to support schools in meeting the high challenge’s high standards for healthy school food, physical activity and nutrition education. Through Go for the Gold, Chicago is answering First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to action! To date, 45 CPS schools have been recognized as HealthierUS Schools, an additional 30+ schools have submitted their applications, and dozens more are making changes. Learn more here.
* Check out the practical resources and tip sheets focused on physical activity, nutrition education and more from Go for the Gold!

We’re thrilled to share these exciting events! For updates throughout the month, check out HSC’s blog, Twitter and Facebook page!

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.

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!

A Tremendous Year in Review: The Top 10 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2011

This has been an amazing year of news and great conversation about healthy school communities. We’ve blogged about school food, health and wellness, school nurse leadership, current events, our favorite recipes and much more. 

Your support and dialogue continues to make our blog community thrive. We love our loyal readers and the new visitors who stop by! 

Here are our top 10 most popular blogs thanks to you, our readers!

10. Healthy Schools Campaign Wants Your Ideas: Ideas for Health & Wellness Contest!

Have you made a difference for wellness at your school? Do you have tips for healthy fundraising? Ever help implement physical activity or nutrition education activities? Well, we want to hear from you! You're invited to participate in HSC's Ideas for Health & Wellness contest.

9. Cooking up Change in Denver!

In just a few weeks, teams of aspiring chefs from high schools in Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Washington, DC and Winston-Salem will compete in the national finals of HSC's Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest in Washington, DC. The students, who have all won their city's local qualifying contest, will present healthy school lunches that meet high nutrition standards and many of the constraints faced in school food service.

8. Friday Recipe: Turkey Meatloaf Cupcakes and Mashed Potato Frosting

The art of the cupcake has recently taken this country by storm. Cupcake-only bakeries are popping up all over the place and networks like TLC and the Food Network have new shows dedicated to the tiny cakes. I never jumped on the cupcake bandwagon for the sole reason that I’m not a baked-goods person -- but I have to admit there are times I wish I were because the cupcake of today is pretty much a work of art and comes in tons of unique flavors. Plus, the concept of eating a miniature version of something is always appealing.

7. Breakfast in the Classroom in Chicago Public Schools: HSC's Perspective

Here in Chicago, the hot topic in school food recently has been Breakfast in the Classroom -- and more specifically, the recent decision by the Chicago Board of Education to provide Breakfast in the Classroom to students in all of the district’s elementary schools. This plan has generated both enthusiastic support and vocal opposition. HSC supports this new policy of bringing Breakfast in the Classroom to all CPS elementary schools.

6. Friday Recipe, Grilling Edition: Cedar Plank Salmon

Chicago is an amazing city to be in during the summer, and you know warm weather is rolling in when you see people jogging on the lakefront, advertisements for Blues Fest and the Taste of Chicago go up and the smell of grilling begins wafting through your open windows around dinner time.

5. Bed Bugs in Schools: Don't Panic! Education is Key to a Pest-Free School

What do you do if you get a letter from the principal saying that bed bugs have been found in your school?  Well, first of all, don’t panic, because bed bugs in schools do not mean there is an infestation, only that some bugs have been found.

4. What Most People Don’t Know About School Nurses Is. . .

Here at HSC, we love working with school nurses! Through our School Nurse Leadership Training and school nurse advocacy efforts, we've met school nurses who are remarkable champions for wellness in their schools and advocates for health at the local, state and national levels.

3. Healthy Lunch Ideas, Bento Box Edition!

Recently I was introduced to the Bento Box, a style of lunch box that originated in Japan. But this is no ordinary lunch box, and after doing some research I fell in love with the idea.

2. Rewarding Students Without Candy: Tips for Teachers

Many teachers are uncomfortable using candy as an incentive for their students, yet they want to be able to reward good behavior and academics -- and candy is a cheap way to do so.  However, this type of reward can have negative consequences: in addition to reinforcing unhealthy habits, candy rewards can contribute to decreased student performance at school after students eat candy.

(Drum roll, please!)

And now for the top Healthy School Campaign blog post ...

1. Pizza Counts as a Vegetable? How the Spending Bill in Congress Could Unravel Progress on School Nutrition 

This week Congress is supposed to vote on a spending bill to keep the government running, a bill that because of last-minute additions now contains language that allows pizza to be counted as a vegetable in a school lunch. 

Happy New Year from all of us at HSC!

Chicken in Chicago Cafeterias and in the News!

Chicago Public Schools recently began serving scratch-cooked chicken, purchased unprocessed from the USDA and an Amish farm in nearby Indiana where the poultry is raised without antibiotics. Earlier this month, HSC took part in a teleconference with the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, School Food FOCUS, Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality and Whole Foods to announce the purchase of unprocessed chicken raised without antibiotics.

This effort marks a significant milestone for school lunch and adds to a track record of innovative initiatives for improving school food in one the nation’s third-largest school district. 

Shoesmith students enjoy a healthy school meal! 

We were happy to see local and national press bring attention to this milestone! 

WIRED writer Mary McKenna said, “the Chicago schools’ announcement of their willingness to buy antibiotic-free meat isn’t just newsworthy; it’s a major step in protecting their students, students’ families, and the rest of society as well.”

The Hill commended the announcement as “a major win for public health advocates who have been warning about the rising threat of antibiotic resistance.”

Chicago Tribune’s Monica Eng said the effort “represents an important step toward meeting upcoming government guidelines calling for a reduction of processed foods and sodium in school meals.” 

Medill News observes that “the new menu offering marks a major step in the campaign to improve lunchtime options for students throughout the country.”

Check out ABC 7’s coverage of the announcement below.

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!

Chicago Public Schools Serves Freshly-Baked Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics: Big News for Food Systems and Kids' Health

by Mark Bishop, vice president of policy + communications

Today, Chicago Public Schools is serving a new type of chicken. While you may recall that CPS just recently began serving fresh chicken from the USDA, this is a new and different story. CPS is now serving chicken raised without antibiotics, from an Amish family farm in nearby Indiana. The press release explains:

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) today began serving local chicken raised without antibiotics to students in 473 schools. This development comes on the heels of a fresh chicken purchase direct from the USDA earlier this fall. The district's new scratch-cooked chicken program includes about 1.2 million pounds from Amish farms that do not use antibiotics, for a total of about two million pounds of fresh chicken in the 2011-12 school year. Students will be offered bone-in chicken two to three times each month.

 

CPS' enormous purchase of chicken grown without antibiotics, made through food service provider Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality, is the first of its kind. No other district in the nation is serving this kind of poultry regularly at such a scale.

For those with an interest in food systems, the story behind this chicken is a fascinating one.

With the help of partners including HSC, the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, School Food FOCUS, Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality and Whole Foods, CPS identified a market opportunity and is taking advantage of it. In short, Miller Poultry, a small Amish farm in Indiana, sells much of its chicken breast meat to Whole Foods and much of its thigh meat to Chipotle restaurants. It turns out that there isn’t much of a market for the drumsticks, especially because the drumsticks are on the smaller size (about 2 ounces each). But small chicken drumsticks are a perfect fit for kids. CPS was able to use the Whole Foods distribution network and purchase these drumsticks at a price that they could afford.  And now we have, at least once a month, fresh baked chicken drumsticks for most of CPS.

While the systems behind raising and delivering this chicken is a big part of the story, another big part is what CPS is doing with the chicken once it reaches schools. A baked chicken meal a few weeks ago marked the first time in recent memory that meat prepared from scratch had been served in CPS. In a Chicago Tribune story today, Monica Eng explains:

School caterers have long avoided raw meat for food safety reasons, but upcoming USDA guidelines encourage a return to less processed foods with lower sodium in school lunches.

"Two years ago I would have said that there is no way I'm ever bringing in raw chicken into our schools," said Bob Bloomer, of Chartwells-Thompson, which caters the 473 CPS schools that will be serving the chicken. (A second company, Preferred Meal Systems, caters about a third of CPS schools but is not part of the program.)

 

"But we trained all the (CPS) cooks and managers before school started this past August to bring them up to speed on how to safely handle chicken from the time it comes into the back door to the time it's served to students on the plate," Bloomer said. "And we actually created a training DVD for ongoing education."

 

That training paid off when the district served its first bone-in chicken quarters to students last month in a recipe created by celebrity cook Rachael Ray called Yum-O! Windy City Chicken. Future preparations will include lemon chicken, barbecued chicken and preparation using Asian spices.

The story goes on to quote Laura Stanley of School Food FOCUS. "The amazing thing is how the school smells like real food, like delicious roasting chicken," she said.

I had the same reaction. While CPS made the announcement today, they actually served the chicken for the first time last week at a few schools. Luckily for me, I was able to join my son at his CPS elementary school and give the new chicken a try.

When I walked into the cafeteria that morning, it smelled like my home kitchen when we’re making dinner. To me, that’s the best part of this story: a big, diverse group of partners working together to make the school cafeteria a place where kids get nourishing food they love, a place that smells like a delicious and freshly-baked lunch.

Of course schools’ main mission is to help kids learn, so I’ll share this quote from CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard: "I want to ensure that CPS children have the best nutritional options possible because it impacts their ability to be more successful in the classroom," he said. "Offering fresh chicken on school menus is another step we've taken to improve the quality of food served to our children and we will continue to bring more fresh, high-quality food options moving forward.”

Kudos to CPS, Chartwells-Thompson and the many partners -- from the farmers to the advisors to the school dining managers who prepared the chicken -- who have made this big step possible. We'll continue to share updates in the weeks ahead!

Plus: Check out coverage of this milestone in Wired, Education Week and The Hill. 

First Lady Michelle Obama Recognizes Cooking up Change National Winners

This week, the winners of HSC’s national Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest, the student team from Jacksonville, Fl., received a visit and big congratulations from First Lady Michelle Obama! 

The First Lady met Frank H. Peterson Academies of Technology high school culinary students during a trip to Florida yesterday. She commended their efforts to promote healthy eating and create a healthy, great-tasting lunch that appeals to students nationwide. We are so proud of these young chefs for elevating student voices in the national dialogue on school food. 

First Lady Michelle Obama with the Cooking up Change Jacksonville team. Image from First Coast News.

Student chefs Alexus Baldwin, Leoniqua Jackson and Denver Singletary’s Caribbean-inspired beef rib salad with Moroccan rice and a sweet potato corn bread muffin received top honors at the national Cooking up Change contest.

The teammates spoke about their experience in the healthy cooking contest. Alexus told local news affiliates that, “it was so life-changing to me.”

Check out news coverage of the Cooking up Change students meeting the First Lady.

 

In Chicago, we are excited to kick off the 2011-12 Cooking up Change season with our Chicago flagship contest and benefit on November 3. The winners from this contest will be invited to compete in the national finals in May 2012. Contests in more cities around the country will follow this winter! 
If you’re in the Chicago area, we invite you to join us at Cooking up Change! You can learn more and purchase tickets here. 

Not in Chicago, but would like to support Cooking up Change? You can purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a wine country getaway, culinary experience, or game system.

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