| Healthy Schools Campaign monthly e-newsletter | December 2005 |
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HSC UPDATES
Happy Holidays and Happy New YearHSC would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday and happy new year! Governor Announces Effort to Ban Junk Food in SchoolsLast week, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced new proposed rules to establish nutritional standards for food sold to students outside the reimbursable school meal. This rule would prohibit the sale of “minimally nutritious foods” for grades K-8 from a la carte lines, vending machines and school fundraisers. According to the CDC, 43% of elementary schools, 74% of middle/junior high schools, and 98% of senior high schools have vending machines, school stores, or snack bars. Currently foods offered in these venues are not required to follow federal nutrition guidelines. The proposed rule defines minimally nutritious foods as food whose: calories from total fat exceed 35 percent; calories from saturated fat exceed 10 percent; sugar content exceeds 35 percent; and calories exceed 200 when served in individual packages or containers. It is expected that the State Board will vote on this proposed rule in March. To read HSC’s letter to ISBE discussing the proposed rules, click here. HSC Holds Community Forums in Five Illinois CitiesThis fall, the HSC held a series of forums in communities across Illinois. The forums, which were attended by over 175 school stakeholders, took place in Quincy, Jacksonville, Crystal Lake, Marion and Lombard. While participants included principals, school staff and community members, over half of participants were school nurses. Presentations were given on issues of school food and environmental health, with a focus on obesity and asthma, and participants received tools and information for how to initiate school-based efforts to improve health. Participants responded enthusiastically to the presentations—many have since contacted HSC to request additional information or to describe school-based efforts that they have initiated as a result of attending the forums. In a follow up survey, 90% of respondents reported that the forums provided useful tools to help them address problems in their schools. HSC Hosted a Lunchtime DiscussionOn November 3rd, the Healthy Schools Campaign and Kendall College held a lunchtime discussion entitled New York City School Food Improvement Efforts. The discussion, which was led by Kate Adamick, was attended by parents, Kendall students, corporate representatives, health and environmental advocates, community organizations and school administrators from across Chicago as well as Kane, Lake and Rock Island Counties. A group of attendees even drove in from Kansas for the event! The Lunchtime Discussion included an introduction to the SchoolFood Plus Initiative, a New York program which is designed to improve the eating habits, health and academic performance of students by incorporating more locally-grown fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes into the school lunch program. Highlights of this initiative include:
We thank everyone who came and made this event a big success. We would also like to acknowledge Kate Adamick, a graduate of Kendall’s Culinary Arts Program and former Program Director for the SchoolFood Plus Initiative, for making the discussion so informative and successful. HSC Participates in Illinois School Health DaysThis fall, Linda Pietens, the HSC School Nurse Consultant traveled the state, participating in six Illinois Department of Human Services-sponsored School Health Days. This is part of the HSC’s School Nurse Leadership Development Program. At the school health days she met with school nurses and shared information and strategies for school based environmental health efforts. HSC’s Latino Partnership Presents at National ConferencesHSC is the lead partner in the federally funded Partnership to
Reduce Disparities in Asthma and Obesity in Latino Schools. This
fall, HSC Project Director Guillermo Gomez and partners presented
at the American School Health Association and the American Public
Health Association. In January, we will be presenting at the Office
of Minority Health’s -National Leadership Summit to Eliminate
Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Health. HSC Testifies Before NIOSHIn December, HSC Executive Director Rochelle Davis provided testimony
before the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety’s
(NIOSH) committee which is developing the future direction of their
research agenda. Rochelle pointed out that on any given day 20%
of the population spends a significant part of its day in a school
building and that many of the school facilities are in poor condition
and has poor indoor air quality. Since best practices exist which
promote healthy environments, she recommended that NIOSH’s
research agenda include a focus on developing strategies for bridging
the research to practice gap. Other UpdatesResources for Schools Champions for Healthy Kids Offers Grants for Fitness and
Nutrition Champions for Healthy Kids, a national grant program created to encourage healthy eating choices and active lifestyles in young people, is now accepting grant applications for 2006. The Champions Grant Program awards fifty community groups and schools with $10,000 grants that support innovative programs to help children develop positive, lifelong nutrition, and physical fitness habits. The program supports the work of innovative nutrition and fitness programs developed by grassroots, not-for-profit organizations that serve children and teenagers. Grants will be awarded to not-for-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) or 509(a) status and agencies working with communities that demonstrate the greatest need and likelihood of sustainable impact on young people's nutrition and activity levels through innovative programs. Visit the General Mills Web site for grant guidelines and an application
form. Disney Minnie Grants Available Youth Service America and Disney are offering the Disney Minnie
Grants for youth across the globe. These grants of $500 are for
youth (ages 5-14), or the teachers, schools and organizations that
engage them to implement service projects on National & Global
Youth Service Day, April 21-23, 2006. To learn more, please download
an application and Frequently Asked Questions at www.ysa.org/awards.
After reviewing the application and FAQ's, if you would like further
information, please email: MinnieGrant@ysa.org.
Illinois Zero Waste Schools Grant Program Governor's Green Youth Award To be eligible for an award, projects must involve one or more
of the following categories: waste reduction, prevention or reduction
of pollution in the air, IN THE NEWSGovernor
Pushes Junk Food Ban Wellness
Mandate Needs Funding, Support Challenges
Re: Kids Walking to School Adolescents
on the Road to Diabetes School
Lunch Daze |
www.healthyschoolscampaign.org