In This Issue

• HSC News: Child Nutrition; Student Art; Marathon
• Program Updates: African-American Advisory Taskforce; National Policy
• Recent Blog Entries: Roasted Red Peppers; Action of Capitol Hill; School Lunch Memories and more

HSC News

HSC Brings Chicago Farm to School Success Story to National Stage
Local procurement part of advocacy for healthy school food

Locally grown green beans for lunch in Chicago Public Schools

Advocates around the country gathered in Portland on March 20 for the National Farm to Cafeteria conference, where HSC’s Jean Saunders and Bob Bloomer of Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality shared the success story of how Chartwells-Thompson made great-tasting, locally grown corn, carrots, green beans and other produce a regular part of the lunch menu in all Chicago Public Schools.

“We’re thrilled to see the national spotlight on this farm to school program and the healthy school food efforts that HSC has been involved with,” said HSC school wellness director Jean Saunders. “The Chicago story really expands the vision of how schools can incorporate local produce year-round. It shows that farm to school can be a reality even in northern climates and in large urban districts as well as rural and suburban communities.”

Local procurement programs – often called Farm to School or Farm to Cafeteria – create an ideal opportunity to provide students with the tastiest produce available, often while teaching valuable lessons about healthy food and how it’s grown.

HSC works with advocates and food service professionals nationally and Illinois to support policies that make it easier for schools to serve local produce in schools.

The upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act holds the potential to make Farm to School and other valuable health-promoting programs the norm in schools around the U.S. You can join HSC in voicing your support for healthy school food by adding your name to HSC's petition for a strong reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act.

Plus: Did your school ever serve local food? Share your most vivid school food memories -- good, bad, healthy or otherwise -- to win great prizes in HSC's Fresh Voices contest!

Attention, Teachers! Put Student Art in National Spotlight
Win prizes for your school, help change future of school food

HSC's Fresh Voices for Fresh Choices contest gives teachers and parents the chance to put kids’ artwork in the national spotlight! The contest, as part of HSC’s work with Applegate Farms to raise awareness of school food issues, asks entrants to share their most vivid memories of school food in a drawing, photo, video or words.

When students create a drawing of school lunch and enter it in the contest, they are eligible to win a healthy breakfast for their class or for their entire school – and see their drawing printed on more than 50,000 grab-n-go breakfast bags distributed around the U.S. by Notables.

Be sure that students create their drawings on this template [pdf]. Learn more or enter today at www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/?contest.

Run for Healthy Schools!
HSC team welcomes new runners for Chicago Marathon

HSC's charity athletics team is welcoming new members to join us in running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon!

As part of the team, you will make a difference for children’s health and well-being as you experience the excitement of competing in a world-class athletic event.

With fundraising requirements beginning at only $250, the HSC team offers an easy, fun way to make your marathon experience more meaningful – with great incentives and prizes along the way!

To learn more, be sure to visit HSC’s marathon website or contact Alicea Miller at 312-419-1810.

HSC Launches African-American Advisory Taskforce
Group to provide guidance on addressing health disparities

Leaders in Chicago’s African-American communities met March 25 to kick off HSC’s African-American Advisory Taskforce and provide strategic guidance for school-based efforts addressing the alarming health disparities – particularly in asthma and obesity – that children in African-American communities face.

The taskforce includes representatives of Centers for New Horizons, COFI, Oprah’s Angel Network, POWER PAC, Real Men Cook, and the University of Chicago Department of Medicine Section of Genetic Medicine.

The taskforce’s work will build on HSC’s highly successful parent engagement efforts in Chicago’s Latino communities, particularly the Parents United for Healthy Schools coalition’s work training parents to establish school wellness teams that promote healthy eating and physical activity at the school level while building broad community support for policies that support healthy lifestyles.

The group’s guidance stems from a focus on social justice as a motivating framework for engaging parents and community leaders to make healthy changes.

HSC Releases National Policy Recommendations
Lesson 2: Healthy school meals are critical for student health and learning

Lunch at Perspectives Charter School, February 2008

One of the greatest challenges facing our national leaders is to provide a high-quality education and healthy environment for all students. As President Obama and Secretary of Education Duncan bring the lessons they’ve learned in Chicago to the national education dialogue, leaders in health and education are looking to Chicago schools for lessons that may shape national policy.

HSC is pleased to share some of these lessons and national policy recommendations in our new report, Healthy and Ready to Learn: Lessons from Chicago. The report tells the stories of people whose efforts have made schools healthier places and outlines the specific ways our national leaders can take action.

This week, we’ll highlight the second lesson:

Click here to check out the full report.

Recent Blog Entries

HSC's staff experts discuss news stories and new developments every week at the HSC Blog. Stop by and leave a question or comment. And while you're there, enter your email address for automatic delivery on days when a new blog entry has been posted. Here's a look at some of our recent posts:

What Henry Eats: Apple and Beet “Sandwiches” | by Mark Bishop
For some reason, beets get a horrible name. But the truth is that they are so deliciously sweet when roasted. And when a silky roasted beet is paired with a crispy sweet apple or pear, it’s hard to resist. Combine that with the mess that beets can make, and it’s one fine dish for a two-year-old. . . . Read more

More Reasons for Recess | by Lindsay Muscato
HSC is happy to see that more new research endorses recess. A recent New York Times blog points to a study in the journal Pediatrics that linked recess to better classroom behavior: "We should understand that kids need that break because the brain needs that break." . . . Read more

School Lunches: No Time for Healthy Eating| by Lindsay Muscato
When students must speed through their lunches, schools may be reinforcing bad habits, experts say. In a recent New York Times blog post, Dr. Arthur Agatston -- creator of The South Beach Diet -- urges schools to schedule longer lunch periods so that children have adequate time for healthy eating. Agatston says: "Schools are rushing kids through meals really quickly just like they’re eliminating exercise. . . ". Read more

What Henry Eats: Roasted Red Peppers| by Mark Bishop
This recipe originated as a last minute throw-together kind of meal: we needed dinner, and these were the ingredients I happened to have in our fridge. But boy, did Henry ever love chowing down on the roasted peppers stuffed with turkey and veggies . . . . Read more

On Capitol Hill, Taking Action for Healthy School Food| by Jean Saunders
These are exciting times for school food policy, as advocates and school food leaders take their message from the cafeteria to Congress! This month in Washington, school food service directors from around the country gathered for the 2009 Legislative Action Conference to learn how their voices can shape school nutrition policy. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the conference attendees, urging them to continue advocating strongly for healthy school meals. . . . Read more

Featured School Food Memory: Bologna Cups!| by Tara Kennon
Last week, HSC launched the Fresh Voices for Fresh Choices contest as part of our efforts to raise awareness of school food issues involved with the upcoming reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. We’re asking everyone who has ever eaten in a school cafeteria to share their most vivid memory of school food. Today’s featured entry is the one with the most votes so far: Mary Wilkins’ memory of the "bologna cups" served at her elementary school. . . . Read more

Legislation Would Update Nutrition Standards for "Other" Food Sold at School| by Jean Saunders
On March 5, U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) introduced the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act of 2009. This legislation would improve the minimum nutrition standard for food sold outside of school meals -- including food sold in vending machines, school stores, cafeteria a la carte lines, and other spots throughout the school. We applaud Representative Woolsey and the 101 co-sponsors of this bill and encourage you to contact your U.S. Representative to voice your support for this legislation. . . . Read more

"You can't believe how exciting it is to hear the students chant 'apples' when their snack from the farm arrives,"
- Teacher Nancy Kishbaugh of Somerville, N.J., as quoted in The Courier-News

Win prizes for yourself and your school while helping bring more resources for healthy school food! Learn more »

Schools of the 21st Century Symposium | April 3 | More

Chicago Conservation Corps Student Club - Teacher Training | April 14, 15, 16 | More

School Nurse Advocacy Day | April 16 | More

Safer Pest Management for Illinois Schools | April 14, April 23, and May 12 | More

Tweet, tweet!

You can follow HSC on Twitter to stay up-to-date on the latest news and conversations about school environmental health and wellness. Click here to check out our Twitter updates!

America’s Greenest School Competition
Essay contest on green school initiatives; prizes include hybrid school bus and scholarships | More

Golden Carrot Awards
Deadline: April 8
Seeking nominations for Golden Carrot Awards for outstanding school foodservice professionals. Awards include grand prize of $5,000 and up to four additional $1,000 prizes | More

Responsible School Chemical Management Video
Identifies steps to build a responsible chemical management program, with real life examples and tips| More

School Breakfast Grants
Deadline: April 10
To fund alternative breakfast programs, innovative promotions, or enhancement of school breakfast experience through educational enrichment activities | More