Healthy Schools Campaign

Cooking up Change Raffle: Support HSC and Win a Wine Country Getaway, mk Culinary Experience or XBox Kinect

Take a chance! You can test your luck and support HSC in this year's fabulous Cooking up Change raffle!

Winners will be announced at HSC's flagship Chicago healthy cooking contest and benefit on November 3 . . .  but you can win from anywhere in the world! We invite you to be part of the excitement -- and support a good cause -- with this extraordinary raffle.

California Wine Country Getaway

Relax with a three night stay at Oak Hill, a four bedroom house on the vineyard of the Cima Collina organic winery in Carmel Valley. Enjoy a winery tour and tasting, then relax in your private pool and hot tub with views of the vineyard. Includes four round trip tickets to San Jose (a 1.5 hour drive to Oak Hill) or any Southwest Airlines Destination in the continental US. Donated by Richard Lumpkin, Bess Celio and Southwest Airlines. Value: $5,000 (www.cimacollina.com)

 

mk Culinary Experience

Fabulous Chef's Table dinner for twelve at the acclaimed mk Restaurant located in River North. USA Today has called mk "a smart, contemporary space that beautifully showcases. . . playful and confident New American cooking" and Conde Nast Traveler raved that "despite the cool décor, the food at mk is the main attraction.". This unique dining experience will include a seasonal tasting menu chosen by chef Erik Williams, with wines paired by sommelier Robby Nagelberg. • Donated by Lisa and Michael Kornick from mk The Restaurant • Value $1,300 (mkchicago.com)

 

XBox 360 with Kinect
Have fun, play games and get exercise with the Xbox Kinect gaming system. This incredible new technology is completely motion-controlled, with games that make you jump, run, box, kick, and move! The Kinect was recently voted the winner of the 2011 Parent's Choice Awards as a top quality product for children that entertains and educates. Parents have fun too with interactive personal training programs including yoga, pilates and calisthenics. Package includes one Xbox 360, Kinect Controller and one ACTIVE game. The system has built DVD player and Wi-Fi connection that allows you to sync with services like Netflix.

 

Dates for wine country getaway and culinary experience prizes to be mutually agreed upon. Some restrictions and/or expiration dates may apply.

You can get your raffle tickets online here, or at Cooking up Change next week!

Chicago Student Introduces First Lady Michelle Obama at White House Ceremony for Health and Wellness

On Monday, more than 1,200 schools from across the country were honored at the White House for meeting the HealthierUS School Challenge.

Walsh Elementary sixth-grade student Alex Roman had the opportunity to introduce First Lady Michelle Obama at the event, where she praised him in her speech! Alex's school met the HealthierUS School Challenge through Go for the Gold, a partnership of HSC and Chicago Public Schools with the USDA and Illinois State Board of Education to support schools in meeting the challenge. Alex has graciously shared his speech with HSC.

Alex Roman speaks during the Go for the Gold celebration

Read about his journey to a healthier lifestyle below: 

  Good afternoon everyone.

My name is Alex Roman. I am 12 years old and in sixth grade. At Walsh Elementary School, I have taken part in several programs that have helped me make healthier choices. For example, I have completed 10 5Ks and two 8Ks, improving my time with every race I complete. I work on following the "5-4-3-2-1" rules: five fruits and vegetables, four serveings of water, three servings of low-fat dairy, two hours or less of screen time, and one hour of phyiscal activity every day. I also play soccer and tennis and have enjoyed learning new sports to stay active and build my strength. I have also learned to make better food choices. I have changed my eating habits -- instead of eating junk food, I eat fruits like apples, bananas, and grapes.

Walsh has provided me with opportunities to improve my health and make better choices for myself. I have a new view of what I put in my body, after partcipating in various programs at Walsh. I am happy to be here today with someone who is helping other kids like me to stay active and be healthy. It is my pleasure to introduce First Lady Michelle Obama.Walsh Elementary has also taken steps to encourage good eatng habits by removing chocolate milk from the menu and adding a salad bar. We also participate in physical activity on a daily basis and have gym class at least twice a week. I also have soccer practice twice a week and a game every Friday.

Mrs. Obama remarked, "we can affect who they will be forever. Alex is not going to forget what he's learned and he's going to pass that on to his kids. You’re affecting not just how these kids feed themselves, but how they’re going to feed their own children. So the beauty is, is that you’re not just making this generation of kids healthier, but the next generation as well."

Earlier this summer, Walsh and 18 other Chicago Public Schools met the high standards of the HealthierUS School Challenge through Go for the Gold. (Since then, four more schools have met the challenge and dozens more are in the process of completing the application.) CPS chief Jean-Claude Brizard applauded these schools' efforts as a local embodiment of the first lady's Let's Move campaign.

Check out the Chicago Tribune's article spotlighting Alex's once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to speak at the White House ceremony and his efforts to live a healthier lifestyle.

We're so proud to see Alex and the Go for the Gold schools receive well-deserved recognition for their efforts to move school food and fitness forward!

Congratulations to all of the schools that were honored at the White House this week!

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

Bonus! Learn what message Chicago students are sending to First Lady Michelle Obama!

Announcing Healthy Schools Campaign's New Green Leader Circle

Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased to announce a new way to support Cooking up Change: the Green Leader Circle!

The Green Leader Circle is a new group of advocates, professionals, parents and community members under age 35 who play an integral role in the success of Cooking up Change, the annual benefit and healthy cooking contest supporting Healthy Schools Campaign.

Green Leader Circle members make a meaningful difference for healthy food, physical activity and environmental health at school in Chicago and beyond. Members agree to raise $500 through ticket sales, raffle tickets sales, sponsorships or donations. Members are invited to the Cooking up Change VIP reception and other special events, and are recognized throughout Cooking up Change and HSC communications. Members who join by August 29 will also be recognized in the event invitation!

Perhaps most important, members play a key role in elevating student voices and creating a new future for school food.

To learn more, please contact Alicea Miller by email or at 312-419-1810. You can also download the Green Leader Circle sign-up form here. Please join us or share this opportunity with friends and colleagues who may be interested!

Recess Returns to Chicago Public Schools: Another Milestone for Parents United, Another Victory for Kids

By Guillermo Gomez, vice president of urban affairs

Yesterday, Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard announced that the district will mandate recess in the 2012 school year. 

This not only represents a victory for children across the city, but also a milestone for Parents United for Healthy Schools! 

Since 2006, the parent-led group has provided a voice for parents, educators, and community advocate determined to create a culture of health and wellness in the school environment. Bringing back recess was a main objective of Parents United in addressing health disparities such as childhood obesity. 

In 2009, Parents United submitted more than 4,000 petitions in support of recess and called for the creation of the Recess Task Force. Together with the district, we put together the Recess Development Plan, which is currently being used to transition physical activity into the school day.

Local support for recess mirrors national sentiment. 

Recess provides children with the necessary physical activity to reduce childhood obesity and stimulates cognitive and emotional abilities. Research continues to reinforce how healthy, active children are better prepared to learn and succeed.

The hard work of parents, health and wellness advocates, and our schools continues to amaze me. This victory doesn't mean our work is done. Parents can get involved in by joining their local school review committee:

• Facilitate and create opportunities to discuss school wellness. You can review the Chicago Public Schools wellness policy here.
• Engage other parents by working with your local school council, school wellness committee, and recess committee.
• Volunteer your time to support recess and wellness.

I applaud Chicago Public Schools in making health and wellness a priority. 

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You can read the Spanish version of the Chicago Public Schools wellness policy here.

To learn more about the Parent Leadership Institute and read about last year’s institute, check out the Parents United for Healthy Schools section of HSC’s blog. 

You can read exercise and recess updates on our blog.

Announcing the 2011 Green Cleaning Award for Schools & Universities

Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased to announce the 2011 award recognizing the efforts of schools around the nation with outstanding green cleaning programs.

The Green Cleaning Award for Schools & Universities, presented in collaboration with American School & University magazine and The Green Cleaning Network, 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.

Awards will be presented to exemplary programs and winners will be profiled in a special supplement in the December issue of American School & University. Applications must be received by Sept. 9, 2011.

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.

Congratulations to the Cooking up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest Winners!

Jacksonville student chefs prepare tastes of their healthy school lunch for the judges.

Congratulations to Alexus Baldwin, Leoniqua Jackson and Denver Singletary, the high school student chefs from Jacksonville, Florida who won the grand prize in the Cooking up Change National healthy cooking contest yesterday!

Winning student team with Cooking up Change national honorary co-chairs Christie Vilsack and Karen Duncan.

The contest challenges teams of high school students studying culinary arts to create a healthy, great-tasting school meal with only six steps of preparation, ingredients commonly available to school food service and many of the other constraints that school nutrition professionals face.

The Jacksonville team – Alexus Baldwin, Leoniqua Jackson, and Denver Singletary – served Caribbean-inspired beef rib salad with Moroccan rice and sweet potato corn bread muffin.

Congratulations as well to the honorable mention winners!

The Chicago team – Gerardo Garcia, Ruby Gutierrez, and Claudia Ramirez – received an honorable mention for excellent side dish with their soup of sunshine, a unique blend of fruits and vege'tables.

The Winston-Salem team – Isaac Barham, Hayden Cramer, and Corrine Hertz – received an honorable mention for excellence in display. The team was recognized for preparing a meal that is as visually appealing as it is healthy.

The national finals brought together six teams of young chefs from across the nation. Five cities -- Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, St. Louis and Winston-Salem -- hosted Cooking up Change qualifying contests. Teams from those cities won first place in their local competition. A team from Washington, DC won an online qualifying contest that was open to students nationwide.

The contest took place at USDA headquarters in Washington, DC.

"We are so proud of the students who competed in Cooking up Change for their efforts to change the future of school food," said Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of Healthy Schools Campaign.

Congratulations to all the student chefs and many thanks to everyone who made Cooking up Change possible!

Student chefs arrive at the USDA headquarters.

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The Cooking up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest is generously sponsored by Platinum Sponsor Chartwells School Dining Services; Gold Sponsors Applegate Farms and Dannon; and Official Travel Partner Southwest Airlines. The contest is generously supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and hosted by the USDA.

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Plus: Invite your legislators to lunch!  Today, the student chefs will take part in a Capitol Hill briefing on the future of school food. A school lunch designed by students will also be served in the House of Representatives cafeteria! Click here to send a letter inviting your legislators to attend the briefing on Capitol Hill, try the student-designed meal in their own cafeteria and support action that would help bring proper kitchen equipment and training to more schools!

 

Rahm Emanuel on School Wellness: How Will Chicago’s New Mayor Shape Policy for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity?

Today, Chicagoans had a new mayor sworn in for the first time in 22 years as Rahm Emanuel takes on the role that Richard M. Daley held since before the city’s schoolchildren were born. For those children, this historic transition and the new mayor’s policies have the potential to shape their school experience -- including school food, nutrition education, recess and opportunities for physical activity. In Chicago, the mayor plays a particularly close role in shaping the school system. Incoming mayor Emanuel is appointing a new leadership team for Chicago Public Schools: a new CEO and senior staff and a new Board of Education.

We invite you to view HSC’s policy recommendations [pdf] for the new mayor and the city’s education leaders.

During the mayoral campaign, Rahm Emanuel answered several questions from HSC about his priorities related to health disparities, healthy eating, physical activity, recess, First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative and green schools. Now, we invite you to view his comments on these issues:

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Question: Studies consistently document the powerful connection between health and academic achievement. Healthy, active and well-nourished students are more likely to attend school and be engaged and prepared to learn, yet many students come to school with one or more health problems that compromise their readiness to learn. Health problems like obesity and asthma disproportionately affect the educational opportunities and outcomes of minority youth. In Chicago, 86 percent of the district’s more than 400,000 pupils are low-income students of color. As our next mayor, what will you do to prioritize and improve the health of the district’s students and address health disparities? What role will the school district and our city’s 675 schools play in improving the health of Chicago’s young people?

Answer: As Mayor, I will task the next CEO of Chicago Public Schools with evaluating the performance of all CPS contractors, including foods vendors. I will work with the next CEO to identify the best provider of school lunches that are both nutritious and flavorful. Also, as part of my plan to keep kids off street corners after school, I would require that after school programs offer a "third meal," in the form of a snack or hot meal. These extra meals would be paid for using federal funding.

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Question: Michelle Obama, a proud graduate of the Chicago Public Schools, has launched Let’s Move, a campaign to reverse the crisis of childhood obesity and improve the health of this country’s young people. Mrs. Obama is calling upon cities and schools to create opportunities for children to eat healthful food, learn about healthy eating and be active. As our next mayor, what will you do to address the problem of childhood obesity? How will you support efforts that are currently underway in the Chicago Public Schools to improve the school food and fitness environment?

Answer: As Chief of Staff to President Obama, I saw firsthand the inspiration and passion the First Lady brought to fighting childhood obesity. By expanding access to healthy food and providing opportunities for daily exercise, we can begin to address this crisis. Too often, recess is the first program cut by schools operating on tight budgets with a shortened day.

I have already outlined my commitment to lengthening the school day and expanding access to athletic programs. I will work with the teachers' union to lengthen the learning day and school year because it's the right investment in our children. I have also outlined a detailed plan to expand afterschool programming to all CPS students who want it. It will be comprehensive: Five days a week, two-and-a-half hours a day with opportunities in the arts, academics and athletics.

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Question: Research shows that school facilities have a major impact on students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach. Many of Chicago’s school buildings need significant upgrades or repairs, for issues ranging from inadequate lighting or poor acoustics to unhealthy indoor air or even general disrepair. At the same time, Chicago Public Schools has taken on the practice of ensuring that new school facilities are built to meet health-promoting environmental standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council. As our next mayor, what will you do make sure that school facilities support student health and achievement, and will you continue the practice of requiring that newly constructed school buildings meet environmental standards?

Answer: Adequate school facilities are essential to keeping students motivated and in the classroom. As Mayor, I will continue the practice of requiring that newly constructed buildings meet the appropriate environmental standards. I will also task the next CEO of Chicago Public Schools with evaluating the performance of all CPS contractors, including those responsible for school facilities.

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With a new mayor, a new CEO of Chicago Public Schools and a new Board of Education, the city-wide dialogue on education includes several issues -- such as the possibility of extending the school day -- that have a direct impact on school wellness. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to share updates on this transition. HSC will continue to advocate for healthy eating and physical activity in Chicago schools; we look forward to working with the city’s leadership to ensure that the city’s schoolchildren have school environments that support their health.

Through Your Lens: Student Photographer Shares Her Story at Exhibit Opening

Samantha, a high school student photographer from Washington D.C., attended the opening of the Through Your Lens photo exhibit on Capitol Hill yesterday. There, she shared her photo "Rustic Atmosphere."

When asked about the A/C unit featured in the photo, Samantha explained, 

"We often have to turn off the air conditioning unit to hear the biology teacher speak. We have to turn it off so that we can actually learn."

Watch the video below to hear Samantha's story and learn more about her school environment. 

 

What do you see at your school? 

Plus! Are you on Twitter? Join the conversation and let us know what you think about these powerful images and stories. Use #tyl2011.

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Through Yout Lens is a collaboration of the 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure, and Healthy Schools Campaign to raise awareness of the need for school buildings that support learning and provide a safe healthy environment for students and teachers. 

We encourage you to view the Through Your Lens exhibit on display in the Rotunda of the Russell Senate Building on Capitol Hill through Friday, May 13. You can also see the virtual gallery by visiting www.ThroughYourLens.org.

Through Your Lens Exhibit Opens Today - on Capitol Hill and Online

Students and teachers from around the nation shared photos and stories about the conditions of their school buildings in the Through Your Lens contest. Now, these remarkable photos and stories illustrating the great parts and the troubling parts of our nation’s school facilities are part of the Through Your Lens Exhibit – online and on Capitol Hill!

We invite you to view the Through Your Lens exhibit! You can see the exhibit in two ways:

On Capitol Hill. The Through Your Lens exhibit is open in the Rotunda of the Russell Senate office building on Capitol Hill today through May 13, 2011. The building is open during regular office hours.

Online. Visit www.ThroughYourLens.org to view a virtual version of the exhibit online.

Please take a moment to encourage your elected leaders in Congress to view the exhibit on Capitol Hill and to support high-quality school buildings for all students, teachers, and communities.

For updates and to see photos, visit www.ThroughYourLens.org.

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Through Your Lens is a collaboration of 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure, and Healthy Schools Campaign to raise awareness of the need for school buildings that support learning and provide a safe, healthy environment for students and teachers.

Dr. Gail Christopher: Addressing Health Disparities Is “Not a We-They Conversation, It Is an Us Conversation”

On April 6, 2011, Healthy Schools Campaign and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services convened a citywide forum on strategies to address health disparities and support student wellness and learning. At the forum, more than 400 attendees heard about the latest research on the impact of health disparities on student achievement and learned what education leaders at the local and national level are doing to address these disparities and support student success. 

This forum was a cornerstone of Heroes for Healthy Schools, the series of events that HSC co-hosted with the Office of Minority Health and Chicago Public Schools for National Minority Health Month. You can learn more about Heroes for Healthy Schools here. 

In the weeks ahead, we will spotlight the remarkable speakers who shared their perspectives on health disparities and education at the forum. Today, we are featuring Dr. Gail Christopher, Vice President of Program Strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.  

You may also view video of all the speakers' remarks, download the presentations they shared at forum, and see relevant research on HSC’s website. 

 

Dr. Gail Christopher, Vice President of Program Strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, spotlighted local efforts to raise awareness around health and education disparities. She noted, 

"Chicago is a place that the nation is looking to for innovation, inspiration, and guidance around the issue that is absolutely the most important issue to this country’s future, the children."

Dr. Christopher explained that disparities cannot be discussed independently from societal factors. She said,

"It is not a we-they conversation, it is an us conversation. This is not about those students, this is not about those families, this is about our nation and our children."

In order to address these issues, Dr. Christopher proposed that the community equip educators, health practitioners, and political leaders and civic leaders to recognize the power of racism on the conscious and sub-conscious level and do away with it, adding that a focus on health and well-being can help mitigate the negative effects that exposures to racism have on children.  

See more of Dr. Gail Christopher’s call to action in the video above. You can also download the slides from her presentation. 

Stay posted for more footage from the Citywide Forum on Health Disparities and Education, including remarks from Dr. Charles Basch, Richard March Hoe Professor of Health Education at Columbia University Teachers College; Terry Mazany, Interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools; and Dr. Bechara Choucair, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Celebrating Heroes for Healthy Schools!

  

This year, Healthy Schools Campaign teamed up with Chicago Public Schools and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, to present Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming together for student wellness and achievement, a series recognizing National Minority Health Month and focusing attention on the role everyone can play in ensuring that all children are able to succeed in school and live healthy lives.

The enthusiasm we saw in Heroes for Healthy Schools -- from students racing through soccer and running events to individuals across the Chicago coming togehter to discuss health disparities and education at our citywide forum -- continue to energize the dicussion of health disparities and student wellness at a local and national level.

To learn more, check out the video above and read a few highlights from the week:

• Heroes for Healthy Schools Week: Citywide Forum, Playground Painting, School Nurse Leadership and More
• Heroes for Healthy Schools Week: Chef in the Classroom Day
• Launching Heroes for Healthy Schools Week with an Active Start
• Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming Together for Student Wellness and Achievement

Heroes for Healthy Schools also gave us the opportunity to spotlight the remarkable work of individuals  making a difference for kids' wellness, at school and in the community. Check out profiles of a few of the inspiring heroes we met!

Chef Lovely brings messages of healthy eating and nutrition to Chicago students through Chef in the Classroom. Read more »

Principal Nicole Feinberg and her colleagues focus on making wellness a priority for their students. Read more »

Rodney Taylor, Farm to School Pioneer, led a successful launch of salad bars bringing students access to local fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Read more »

Marlene Diaz, school nurse, fostered partnerships to make wellness part of her school experience. Read more »

Chef Stephanie Izard brings healthy eating lessons to local students through Chef in the Classroom. Read more »

Dolores Navarro, teacher, makes physical activity and nutrition messages a regular part of her classroom. Read more »

Professor Chalres E. Basch is pioneering research on health and education disparities. Read more »

John Neal, P.E. teacher, is forging new community partnerships to bring physical activity opportunities to students. Read more »

Thanks to everyone who helped make Heroes for Healthy Schools such a success! Stay posted for more profiles of on-the-ground heroes nominated throughout this celebration.

HSC Releases Recommendations for Education Policy that Supports Health and Wellness

In the report “Healthier Students Are Better Learners: A Missing Link in School Reforms to Close the Achievement Gap,” [pdf] professor Charles Basch identifies seven health issues that have a direct impact on a student’s ability to learn. The title truly does summarize his excellent report in five words: healthier students are better learners.

At Healthy Schools Campaign, we believe that this simple fact is key to education reform. In our efforts to support quality education, we cannot ignore the health of our students. When we define successful schools, we must include measures of healthy environments, access to healthy food and physical activity. We must provide educators with the knowledge and skills they need to support student health and wellness in the classroom.

Today, we are pleased to release our education policy recommendations [pdf], specifically supporting reform for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Blue Ribbon Schools Program. We invite you to take a look and to read through our recommendations [pdf]. If you agree that education policy should support student health and wellness, please take a moment to add your name to our petition.

Healthier students truly are better prepared to focus, learn and succeed in school. Please join us in urging our leaders to recognize the connection between health and learning by making student wellness a priority in efforts to reform education.

Spotlight on Rodney Taylor, Farm to School Pioneer

Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased to announce Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming together for student wellness and achievement, a series that HSC is presenting with Chicago Public Schools and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to recognize Minority Health Month and highlight the role everyone can play in ensuring that all children are able to succeed in school and live healthy lives.

Yesterday and today, the Office of Minority Health held the inaugural meeting of the advisory committee for its new Action Learning Collaborative, with the long term goal of improving schools’ food offerings and school environments for all children, and in particular for minority and underserved populations. We are thrilled to spotlight Rodney Taylor, a member of the Action Learning Collaborative and a strong voice for healthy school food. 

To read more profiles and nominate your own hero for healthy schools, visit www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/healthheroes. 

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by Jorge Bañales, a writer for the Office of Minority Health Resource Center

“I have been involved in the farm to school movement since its founding, more specifically I am known for my work with the Farmers’ Market Salad Bar program,” said Rodney Taylor, the Director of Nutrition Services for the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD), in Riverside, California.

RUSD is the fifteenth largest school district in California, with 43,000 students in 47 schools. The district provides 34,000 meals per day. Taylor is responsible for a department of 358 employees and a $17 million dollar budget. So, it’s not that he wasn’t busy enough, but he wasn’t interested in keeping things the way they were.

Taylor launched the all-you-can-eat school salad bar, which provides students access to fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis during lunch. The produce for the salad bar is purchased from local farmers. The Farmers’ Market Salad Bar has been recognized as a national model for schools and districts interested in providing greater access to fresh fruits and vegetables to their students.

Now, he is bringing this expertise to the Action Learning Collaborative organized by the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

“It was by invitation that I came into contact with the Office of Minority Health Action Learning Collaborative Advisory Group,” Taylor said. “I accepted because of my commitment to reversing the trends of childhood obesity, particularly as it affects people of color. It’s always exciting to be a part of such a powerful group of dedicated, motivated, and passionate professionals, seeking to bring about positive change for our children.”

For Taylor, schools are in a position to play an integral role in building communities that support health for all children, simply because many students consume two of their three daily meals at school.

“Through our nutrition programs, we are well positioned to partner with school principals, teachers, parents, students, and all other agencies and organizations interested in improving our children’s health” he said.

Taylor has 34 years of experience in the food service industry. He is a charter member of the National Farm to School Network and the School Food FOCUS program. Rodney holds memberships in the national School Nutrition Association, the University of California President’s Advisory Commission for Agriculture and Natural Resources, American Diabetes Association, Los Angeles Urban-Rural Roundtable, and the Executive Committee of the Network for a Healthy California's Statewide Collaborative.  He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards:  In 2010 he received the Riverside Human Relations Commission "Heroes Award" and the  N.A.A.C.P. "Education Award" to name a few.

Kudos to Rodney Taylor and all the Action Learning Collaborative members who are making a difference for kids’ health across the country!

Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming Together for Student Wellness and Achievement

Cornell McClellan, President Obama’s personal trainer and a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, is going back to elementary school to issue a healthy challenge to Chicago’s schoolchildren, while more than 60 chefs are coming to the classroom to talk food. And Chicago runners and soccer players are lacing up to share their love of sports—all part of the of Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming Together for Student Wellness and Achievement, a weeklong series of events presented as a partnership of Healthy Schools Campaign, Chicago Public Schools Nutrition Support Services and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The week kicks off National Minority Health Month and focuses attention on programs in Chicago that support student wellness and achievement. The Office of Minority Health has decided to highlight the efforts in Chicago as excellent examples of school-community partnerships supporting low-income minority students, particularly with regard to healthy school food and fitness.

“OMH chose to focus on healthy school food this Minority Health Month because minority children participate in the school lunch program in larger numbers, and are also most affected by health disparities such as obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes,” says Dr. Garth Graham, deputy assistant secretary for minority health, Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. “The link between health disparities and lower achievement is no longer a mystery. It has been proven that, as the program that Healthy Schools Campaign launched in Chicago so cleverly puts it, healthy kids are 'fit to learn'.”

Events and programs throughout the week show how Chicago schools, parents, and community, civic and business groups are working together to make school food more nutritious, increase physical activity, and address the educational achievement gap for poor and minority students. The week also highlights the work of individual “healthy school heroes” making a difference in the lives of Chicago’s schoolchildren.

Events during the week include health and wellness training sessions for school nurses and a screening of the documentary Crisis in the Crib: Saving Our Nation’s Babies, with author and producer Tonya Lewis Lee.  OMH will launch its Action Learning Collaborative, a group of leaders working on student health and fitness issues, during a citywide forum on health and educational achievement disparities. Thirty peer health outreach educators from Chicago and around the United States will be on hand to support these activities. For a full schedule of events, visit: www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/healthheroes

“As a district, we’ve employed a variety of strategies to build upon our positive momentum toward healthier schools,” says Louise Esaian, logistics officer and head of school nutrition for Chicago Public Schools.  “For example, this school year, we were the first major public school district to adopt the USDA’s HealthierUS Gold menu standard, serving whole grains and a variety fruits and vegetables, reducing sodium and emphasizing local produce. During this year’s planning process, we’re encouraging schools to develop and include health and wellness goals into their annual school improvement plan.”

Other exciting initiatives in Chicago include:  

• Answering First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to get chefs involved with schools, HSC and CPS partnered to host the nation’s largest and most comprehensive Chefs Move to Schools event in October 2010, training and pairing nearly 70 chefs with schools for health and wellness activities.

• Launching the Go for the Gold initiative to help at least 100 schools meet the USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge for food and fitness. Since the start of the 2010-11 school year, 26 Chicago schools have completed the requirements.

• Presenting HSC's Cooking up Change contest, which challenges high school culinary student teams—mentored by professional chefs—to create tasty, nutritious lunches that meet nutrition standards and budgetary constraints and are scalable by school food service programs. The 2010 winning team had their meal served across the district, received culinary school scholarships and in May will travel to Washington, D.C. to compete in the national contest. 

• Training teachers through Fit to Learn, a three-part professional development program that offers practical approaches to making health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience.

“We’re proud of Chicago’s efforts to make meaningful, positive changes that improve children’s access to healthy food and increase fitness levels,” says Rochelle Davis, president and CEO, Healthy Schools Campaign. “While we still have a long way to go to eliminate the serious challenges facing our students, this is a good moment for us to recognize our progress and strategize for the future.” 

Learn more and nominate your own hero for healthy schools at www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/healthheroes! 

Media Share a Taste of Cooking up Change!

 
Richards student Gerardo Garcia is interviewed by ABC news.

On Jan. 24, a healthy school lunch deisnged by high school culinary students was serverd to more than 20,000 students across Chicago. Healthy Schools Campaign was thrilled to enjoy lunch that day with the culinary students of Richards Career Academy who created the menu, a tasty lunch of Afro-Caribe Plancha, Soup of Sunshine and Citrus Crunch Salad. The meal won first place in HSC's Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest. Janey Thornton, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, traveled from Washington, DC to congratulate the students.

The media coverage of this meaningful lunch at Richards Career Academy added to the excitement of the day for students, advocates and all who care about school food. Check out some of the media highlights below!

Across the USA News from Every State
1.25.2011 | USA Today

Richards chefs dish about winning cooking contest
1.25.2011 | The Mash

USDA official visits Chicago, talks about food deserts
1.25.2011 | WBEZ

Chicago high school student chef winners serve up classmates
1.24.2011 | AP

Richards Career Academy chefs
1.24.2011 | Univision

CPS students win student chef contest
1.24.2011 | WGN-TV

Richards' student chefs win citywide cook-off
1.24.2011 | ABC 7 Chicago

High School Students’ Meal To Be Served Systemwide
1.24.2011 | WBBM-TV CBS 2 Chicago

Many thanks to all who took part in this exciting event, and congratulations once again to the talented student chefs!

Through Your Lens Photo & Essay Contest Opens Today: Show the World What You See at School

When you go to school, what do you see?

We're thrilled to announce the Through Your Lens photo and essay contest – an opportunity to show Congress what your school is really like.

From Feb. 1 to Feb. 22, you can enter the contest at www.ThroughYourLens.org to highlight what’s great and what’s not about your school building. Your photos and stories will help inform a national dialogue about the role of school facilities in education, learning and achievement.

Photos and stories will be shown at a special exhibition in Washington, DC and many more entries will be published in a Through Your Lens book and online gallery. Five student winners will also receive a high-definition digital camcorder!

Please take a moment to show the world what you see at school every day.

Plus: Help spread the word about the contest! Click here for banners, fliers, links and tools to help promote Through Your Lens.

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Through Your Lens is a collaboration of the 21st Century School Fund, Critical Exposure and Healthy Schools Campaign.

Drum Roll, Please! The Top 10 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2010

We've spent the past year blogging about all kinds of important topics: green cleaning, healthy eating, recess, the changing role of school nurses and the enduring power of individuals to make a difference. We've shared opinions. We've shared recipes. (We hope your Banana Bites were as much of a hit as ours were!) We've shared big news from Washington about the future of school food. And perhaps most importantly, we've shared community. We've welcomed new readers into the HSC community and sustained relationships with longtime readers of this blog. We're grateful, as always, for your support.

Here, thanks to you, are the top 10 most popular blog posts of 2010.

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10) Iowa Governor Signs Green Clean Schools Law

On April 23, 2010, Iowa’s governor signed legislation passed by the Iowa General Assembly requiring public schools, community colleges, institutions under control of the state board, and state agencies to comply with an environmentally preferable cleaning and maintenance policy. This is a victory for safe, healthy schools in this Midwest state and one step closer to making green cleaning the norm in schools.

9) Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Act Would Bring More Produce to School Meals

HSC is pleased to support The Children's Fruit and Vegetable Act of 2009, a bill introduced in December by Representatives Sam Farr (D-CA) and Adam Putnam (R-FL). The Children's Fruit and Vegetable Act could make a real difference in ensuring access to fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables starting in elementary school, when kids are first developing healthy habits.

8) Healthy, Kid-Friendly Recipe: Banana Bites

We all know that kids love pancakes. But how about a pancake with a surprise inside? That makes it even better. I got this recipe from Weelicious, and it’s a winner for big and small alike.

7) McCormick Elementary School: Success with Recess!

With every barrier comes the opportunity to overcome it. McCormick Elementary School, a Chicago public school, recognized the importance of physically active students and decided to implement recess. Like many schools, they dealt with obstacles: time, budgetary concerns, and safety hazards -- but they succeeded in making recess a regular part of the school day.

6) Making Physical Education Part of the Core Curriculum & Part of the School Day

As concerns over childhood obesity and diabetes continue to increase, it is more important than ever for students to make physical activity a part of their daily lives. Physical activity during the school day not only keeps kids healthier, but also helps them academically and socially. Unfortunately, even though the benefits of physical activity in schools are clear, in this era of standardized testing and No Child Left Behind, physical education is rarely made a priority.

5) A Look Inside: Academy for Global Citizenship

Sarah Elizabeth Ippel grew up in Grand Rapids surrounded by people who looked “exactly like me.” After going to grad school in England, where she did a dissertation in early childhood education, she was awed to discover the richness of being surrounded by people from other races and backgrounds. She visited 100 schools in 70 countries over the next decade, and in 2002 settled in Chicago because of its ethnic diversity. In 2004 the city announced the Renaissance 2010 plan and the call for opening 100 new schools by 2010. Ippel proposed an innovative contract school aiming to make students “global citizens” and incorporate the International Baccalaureate program she was so impressed by in schools from Kenya to Venezuela.

4) Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution: What's Next? (or: Are You Angry?)

I've now watched the full season of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, and I must admit that the show mesmerized me. Yes, it is reality TV. Yes, much of the drama was manufactured. And I have to admit: the dramatic music drove me nuts. But fundamentally, Jamie educated, motivated and possibly angered millions (or at least 519,000 at the last count) of people about the condition and importance of school food.

3) An Open Letter to Jamie Oliver

Jamie: While you don't know me, I already feel like I know you pretty well, thanks to your cookbook, television shows and activism. I'd like to take a moment and thank you for the great work you've done and applaud what I hope to be a change of course in the health of our country.

2) Quick, Healthy After-School Snacks: Crunchy, Salty and Sweet!

The kids come home from school, and the first thing they want is a snack. Sound familiar? It can be easy (or at least not too difficult!) to keep your kids’ meals healthy when you cook them yourself, but when it comes to mid-day and late-night snacks, it can become tedious to figure out nutritious -- and tasty -- ideas. For kids and adults alike, many of us have a particular type of snack attack that hits. Some crave salty foods, some crave sweets, and some just want something crunchy. Here are some fast, family-friendly snack ideas organized into snack-attack category, so that you can hit the snack craving with something both satisfying and healthy. Happy snacking!

1) School Nurses Face New Challenges & Find New Opportunities in Promoting Student Wellness

Now that winter has set in, school nurses are as busy as ever caring for students with colds or flu. But, year-round, school nursing is so much more -- nurses care for students with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and asthma, as well as students with disabilities. They’re also leading the way in making health-promoting changes throughout the school.

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Happy New Year from all of us at HSC!

Bring the Documentary Film Lunch Line to Your Community

We've been talking quite a bit this year about Lunch Line, the documentary film on the political history of school food that features the 2009 winning team from HSC's Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest. Now, we're pleased to offer opportunities to screen this thought-provoking film in your community!

What is Lunch Line?

The documentary film Lunch Line, created by Uji Films in association with Applegate Farms, takes a new look at the school lunch program by exploring its past, its current challenges and opportunities for the future. In the film, leaders from all sides of the school food debate -- including government officials, school food service experts, activists and students -- weigh in on the program and discuss ways to continue nourishing America’s children.

Part of the film focuses on six Chicago students who won first place in HSC’s Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest. Their journey from the school cafeteria to Capitol Hill parallels the dramatic transformation of school lunch from a patchwork of local anti-hunger efforts to a robust national program. The film tracks the behind-the-scenes details of school lunch and childhood hunger from key moments in the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s to the present, revealing political twists, surprising alliances and more common ground than many might realize.

How can I bring Lunch Line to my community?

 The W. K. Kellogg Foundation is generously covering the licensing fees associated with screening the film in a number of low-income and minority communities across the U.S. To apply to bring the a screening to your community, click here.

Who is eligible to screen the film?

Community organizations, non-profits, students and educators are encouraged to apply to bring the film to your community for a screening! Limited opportunities to screen the film are available.

How can I apply?

To apply, please complete the application form here.

When are applications due? When can we screen the film?

A limited number of site licenses to screen the film are available. Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Please allow at least two weeks for your request to be processed.

Where can I learn more about the film?

We invite you to learn more about Lunch Line through the film trailer, a review in The Atlantic and a high school student’s review.

HSC Congratulates Board Member Enrique Rodriguez for Winning an Emmy Award!

HSC extends a big congratulations to Enrique Rodriguez for receiving a prestigious Emmy award earlier this month in the Chicago/Midwest division! The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded Enrique this Emmy for reporting WGBO Univision's special series about a 21-year-old who received a heart transplant just three weeks after putting his name on the waiting list. We've been extremely fortunate to have Enrique's support as a member of our board of directors; as a dynamite master of ceremonies for Cooking up Change; and as an inspiring community voice for healthier schools.

 
Enrique Rodriguez receiving an Emmy award accompanied by his wife and son.

Plus: Check out this great story Enrique reported in Nov. 2009 about the student chefs of Richards Career Academy who competed in Cooking up Change and traveled to Washington, DC to present their healthy school meal to Congress!

Fit to Learn: New Professional Development on Teaching Familiar Lessons in a Healthy New Way

How can I fit healthy eating lessons into the day when it’s already so busy? How can my students be more active when space is limited? Where can I find easy nutrition education lessons? How can I make birthday celebrations healthier?

Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased to announce Fit to Learn, a new professional development program focused on innovative, practical approaches to making health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience. 

Through Fit to Learn, teachers will become wellness mentors, developing and sharing the skills for integrating nutrition education and fitness into classroom lessons that meet learning standards in math, reading, science, social studies, art and music.

We are currently recruiting Chicago Public Schools teachers of grades K-5 to participate in this free professional development program. Teachers, learn more and apply here. Applications must be received by Nov. 1, 2010.

What are the benefits?

Perhaps most importantly, Fit to Learn offers an opportunity to prepare students for increased academic achievement and reduced absenteeism: studies show that when kids are physically active and have a healthy school environment, learning and test scores improve. Teachers will receive CPDUs for participation.Other benefits include:

• Free resources, new lesson plans and a practical kit for creating healthier classrooms; raffles each day for curricula and resources worth hundreds of dollars
• Opportunity to focus on teaching the whole child and develop new skills
• Leadership opportunities to cultivate a culture of wellness at school
• Connections and opportunities to share ideas with other teachers who care about healthy eating, physical activity and wellness
• Becoming part of the Go for the Gold campaign and helping your school meet the high standards for food, fitness and nutrition education that First Lady Michelle Obama is challenging schools to achieve. 

Of course, trainings include dinner and healthy snacks!

For details and to apply, visit www.FitToLearn.org.