Obama’s Senior Health Policy Advisor Tours Chicago Schools with HSC
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Dr. Dora Hughes listens as Principal Vincent Iturralde and a parent discuss health and wellness at Tarkington School, Chicago’s first LEED-certified green school.
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Dr. Dora Hughes, senior health policy advisor for President-elect Barack Obama, joined HSC on Nov. 7 to tour Chicago schools that are making a difference for children’s wellness.
Dr. Hughes’ visit stems from a commitment to learning more about the role that schools can play in promoting health and wellness in the context of an overall national health policy.
Just days after Obama’s election, Dr. Hughes’ commitment to connecting with students, teachers, parent leaders and school nurses at the forefront of school health signals an opportunity for increased national recognition of the ways schools can shape children’s health and well-being.
Throughout the visit, she expressed her admiration for the individuals who stepped forward to make change: the teachers who voted to voluntarily extend their work day so that children have the opportunity for recess, the parents who dedicate hours every week to organizing strong wellness teams, and school leaders who make it a priority to provide children with fresh, healthy meals and opportunities to be active every day.
The visit, she said, made her proud of the steps schools are already taking and excited about the opportunities ahead.
The school tour included a visit to Perspectives Charter School, known for its fresh, cooked-from-scratch lunch program; meetings with school administrators committed to wellness at school; a visit to Tarkington School of Excellence, Chicago’s first LEED-certified green school; a meeting with parent leaders from Chicago’s Latino and African-American communities working with HSC’s Parents United for Healthy Schools; and a meeting with school nurses involved in HSC’s school nurse leadership program.
We look forward to continuing to work with President-elect Obama’s staff to raise awareness of the important role schools can play in our nation’s health and wellness.
Cooking up Change Photos Now Online
Photos from Cooking up Change are now available online!
Be sure to check out pictures of the Healthy Cooking Contest judging, the fabulous teams of student chefs, guests at the event and the awards presentation.
Want to download photos of you and your friends at Cooking up Change? Just click through the slideshows to visit HSC’s Flickr account!
For photos and updates, visit www.cookingupchange.org.
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