In This Issue

• HSC News: Cooking up Change National Champions; Sponsorship Opportunities
• Policy Updates: Health Care Reform & School Wellness; FIT Kids Act Progress; Child Nutrition Act; White House Report on Childhood Obesity
• Recent Blog Entries: Green Cleaning; Apple-Licious Taquitos; Cooking Demos; Michelle Obama's Challenge; Walking to School and more

HSC News

Congratulations to the Cooking up Change National Champions!

The student chefs of Tohono O'odham present their lunch to the judges.

Congratulations to the winners of the Cooking up Change national healthy cooking contest!

The student chefs of the Tohono O'odham Community Action Cooking Club took home the trophy in the high school division with their first-place school lunch of tepary bean quesadillas, baby spinach and pear salad with carrot vinaigrette, and yogurt peanut butter fruit dip. (You can check out the recipe here.)

L-R: Team mentor Mary Paganelli, HSC executive director Rochelle Davis, team member Zade Arnold, team member Yvette Ventura, Cooking up Change national honorary co-chair Christie Vilsack and team member Ross Miguel

In the college division, the student chefs of the University of California, Berkeley placed first with their lunch of heart-healthy cornbread casserole, colorful rice delight, brownie surprise.

L-R: Team member Radha Changela, team member Brittany Mellen, and team mentor Sue Brooks

Students created the meal using only ingredients commonly available for food service -- including one local ingredient -- and no more than six steps per recipe. Their efforts highlight the challenges and incredible importance of bringing fresh, healthy, tasty school food to all students.

All finalists received an all-expenses paid trip to Taking Root, the National Farm to Cafeteria conference in Detroit, Michigan to compete in the Cooking up Change finals. The contest is presented by Healthy Schools Campaign and the National Farm to School Network.

Many thanks to the generous sponsors and dedicated judges for their invaluable contributions to the contest.

Congratulations to the winners, the finalists, and to all the remarkable students who entered the Cooking up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest!

Sponsorship Opportunities Available for Cooking up Change Chicago

Student chefs prepare for Cooking up Change Chicago

2010 has already been an exciting year for Cooking up Change! On March 2, HSC hosted a day of action in Washington, DC where student chefs of Cooking up Change presented the healthy school lunch they designed at a briefing on Capitol Hill. On May 17, high school and college students traveled from across the U.S. to compete in the final round of the first National Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest.

Now, we are thrilled to make our flagship Chicago benefit and healthy cooking contest our most dynamic Cooking up Change yet!

HSC is welcoming new and returning sponsors for our flagship Cooking up Change event in Chicago. The benefit and healthy cooking contest will take place Nov. 4 at Salvage One, an architectural showcase just west of downtown Chicago. The event combines the energy of a culinary competition and the fun of a celebration with the power of HSC’s mission.

To learn more about becoming a sponsor, click here or contact Sara Klinzing at 312-419-1810.

Policy Updates

What Does Health Care Reform Mean for School Wellness?
Bill Also Promotes Healthy Lifestyles & Wellness

Throughout the debate on health care reform, HSC worked to highlight the connection between our nation's health and the way we integrate wellness into the school environment with healthy eating and opportunities for physical activity.

As HSC founding executive director Rochelle Davis said in the New York Times recently, “Look at the agony our country is going through over health care and the struggle to handle a sick nation... We just have to connect the dots and get people eating right and get people moving. Healthy school food is a logical part of that.”

The health care bill that Congress passed (H.R. 3200, America’s Affordable Health Choices of 2009) includes several measures to promote health in the public school system as well as measures to promote wellness and prevention of illness among all age groups.

Continue reading »

Progress for FIT Kids Act in US House of Representatives

HSC has long been a supporter of the FIT Kids Act, a bill that promotes physical activity and physical education in schools.

The FIT Kids Act would require local and state education agencies to provide an annual report to families including information on school health and physical education programs, the amount of time students spend in required physical education classes, and whether a school follows a curriculum that adheres to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (CDC). The CDC recommends at least one hour of physical activity every day for children and adolescents.

On April 21 the FIT Kids Act passed the US House of Representatives. The measure still needs to go through the Senate, where it currently has 23 co-sponsors. The House passage of the FIT Kids Act brings us one step closer to improving physical activity guidelines in schools.

Continue reading »

Senate & House Need Input on Child Nutrition Bill
Tell Congress: Schools Need More Money for Better Food

Congress has begun work on the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, the legislation that determines school food policy and resources for the next five years.
The Senate Agriculture Committee approved The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 sponsored by committee chair Sen. Blanche Lincoln, a bill that includes some health-promoting policy provisions but does not include sufficient funding for healthier school food. The funding currently proposed in the Senate is less than half of that proposed by President Obama and barely enough to acknowledge rising food costs, much less improve quality or expand access.

Now, advocates are working to put pressure on the House of Representatives to pass a well-funded version of the Child Nutrition Act passed this year.

We need both the Senate and the House to hear from advocates across the US that increased funding for better school food must be a priority.

Please take a moment to send a letter asking your senators and representatives to provide adequate funding for schools to provide the healthful meals that support children’s health and learning.  

Thank you for being part of this important and timely effort for children’s health.

White House Taskforce on Childhood Obesity Releases Report Highlighting Strategies Exemplified in Chicago

Students enjoy a physical activity break at HSC''s parent summit

The White House Taskforce on Childhood Obesity, formed with the launch of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic within a generation, recently released its report to President Obama outlining strategies for addressing the epidemic. Many of the recommendations in the report -- particularly those focused on the school environment -- include strategies exemplified by food and fitness initiatives underway in Chicago.

"It's exciting to see these strategies highlighted at a national level after seeing the difference they're making on the ground in Chicago," said Rochelle Davis, HSC founding executive director. "We know these are effective approaches because we see them working in our schools and communities." In April, Davis participated in a White House summit convened by the Taskforce on Childhood Obesity to provide input for the report and subsequent course of action.

HSC's efforts to transform the school food and fitness environment in Chicago and beyond align with the recommendations at multiple levels, including engaging students and community in Cooking up Change for school food; empowering parents, taking on the HealthierUS School Challenge, and connecting schools with local farms.

Continue reading »

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:

Friday Recipe: Apple-Licious Taquitos from the Handstand Kids! | by Kim Stakal
As a cooking instructor, I'm always thrilled to find new ways to get kids excited about cooking in the kitchen: that's why I was so happy to discover the Handstand Kids Cookbooks! The Handstand Kids cookbooks are internationally-themed cookbooks that introduce children to the culture, language, and cuisine of a new country . . . Read more

Green Cleaning Spotlight: Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, Md. | by Lindsay Muscato
Congratulations to Montgomery County Public Schools (MPCS) for winning the School District Grand Award for green cleaning. In 1997, MPCS began going green by switching from an oil-based floor finish to a water-based finish. Energy-efficient scrubbers use only clean water to capture dust particles from hard floor surfaces, eliminating mops and buckets. . . . Read More

Richards Career Academy Students Prepare Twice-Baked Shepherd's Pie on ABC Morning Show | by Tara Kennon
The student chefs of Richards Career Academy High School, who placed second in HSC's 2009 Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest -- performed a cooking demonstration this week on the ABC-7 Chicago morning show! Check out the video . . . . Read more

Nutrition Summit Signals New Era for Food System Advocates | by Mark Bishop
I recently had the honor of being a panelist at the National Nutrition Summit, a dynamite event featuring national leaders and NGOs all working on improving the food system. My biggest takeaway? We are in a new era. It's an era where we have the opportunity to partner with national leaders, grassroots advocates, and state experts all to make improvements in the food environment. . . . Read More

Student Chefs of Chicago Vocational Career Academy Showcase Skills on ABC Morning Show | by Tara Kennon
The student chefs of Chicago Vocational Career Academy whipped up oven-roasted tilapia and vegetables with lemon-herb butter on the ABC-7 Chicago morning show! . . . Read more

Leave the Car at Home: Parents Foster Healthy Habits When Kids Walk & Roll to School | by Heather Schady
It’s no secret: Over the past 50 years, walking and bicycling to school has lost popularity amongst kids. Yet studies have found a link between increased physical activity and higher grades and test scores. The Safe Routes to School movement aims to once again make walking and bicycling to school safe, convenient and fun for kids through education and encouragement programs supported by increased enforcement and improved engineering. . . . Read More

Cooking up Change Winners on ABC Morning Show!| by Tara Kennon
The student chefs of Tilden Career Academy High School showed off their skills in preparing healthy chicken jambalaya and cucumber salad, the meal that wowed judges and guests at Cooking up Change, this morning on the ABC-7 Chicago morning show! . . . Read more

Chicago Comes Together to Meet Michelle Obama's Healthy Schools Challenge | by Rosa Ramirez
HSC is excited to see Chicago emerge as a national leader in promoting school food and fitness. Chicken-vegetable jambalaya, cucumber salad, locally grown corn, Cobb salad, hummus sandwiches, jalapeno cornbread, apples and oranges were among the many delicious and good-for-you items Chicago and Illinois elected officials taste-tested in May at the CPS School Food Premiere, held at McAuliffe Elementary School . . . . Read more

"You’d be surprised how many little children love those red peppers,"
- Lisa Ferrick, school cafeteria manager in St. Lucie County, Fla., on efforts to make vegetables more appealing to students, as quoted in The Treasure Cost Palm

International Society for Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Conference| Minneapolis | June 9 | More

Revisiting Recess: Strategies for Implementing Physical Activity Breaks During the School Day | Webinar | June 10 | More

2010 National Asthma Forum| Washington, DC | June 17 | More

Pass or Fail: Evaluating How Industry Markets Food to Children| Washington, DC | June 24 | More

Your Next GREEN School Is Already Built | Webinar | June 24 | More

Rooted in Community Conference | Durham, NC | July 21 | More

Green Clean Schools National Summit | Washington, DC | Sept. 21 | More

Cooking up Change | Chicago | Nov. 4 | More

Hosting a relevant school health event for the HSC calendar? Let us know!

Chicago students learn how to eat healthier, starting in own classrooms
5.19.2010 | Chicago Sun-Times

Blogging your organization’s message [pdf] | 6.1.2010 | The Non-Profit Times

Tweet with HSC!

Peaceful Pathways Grants
Deadline: Rolling
Matching grant programs for new, community-based projects that improve health and health care for vulnerable populations | More

Nature of Learning Grants
Deadline: June 14
To use National Wildlife Refuges as outdoor classrooms to promote a greater understanding of local conservation issues, utilize field experiences and student-led stewardship projects | More

Green Across America Grants
Deadline: July 30, 2010
Grants of up to $1,000 to help implement innovative activities or lessons to excite students about going green | More

Jordan Fundamentals Grants
Deadline: July 30, 2010
To recognize outstanding teaching and instructional creativity in public schools that serve economically disadvantaged students | More

Delivering More: Scaling Up Farm to School Programs
This resource booklet shares lessons from the Community Food Security Coalition's work with four farm to school programs seeking to scale their efforts through strategic planning related to distribution capacity | More [pdf]

Project Learning Tree Garden Grants
Deadline: Dec. 1 , 2010
Grants to teachers and students participating in PollinatorLIVE: A Distance Learning Adventure. Apply for funding to create pollinator gardens in the schoolyard or community. | More

National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures Mini-Grants
Deadline: June 20, 2010
For community conversations to provide input for action agenda for how US can manage chemicals in ways that are safe and healthy | More

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Awards
Deadline: Oct. 8, 2010
To recognize schools and districts that have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving children's health by promoting good indoor air quality | More

Walk and Roll to School Day Mini-Grants
Deadline: July 2, 2010
Minigrants include $500, promotional items, Clif bars and a $100 credit toward training and equipment for AAA's School Safety Patrol Program | More

Healthy Sprouts Award
Deadline: Oct. 1, 2010
To support schools or organizations that plan to garden in 2011 with at least 15 children. | More