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University of Texas Elementary School. Connecting What A Young Child Eats To Their Health. It’s Time School Summit June 25, 2013. P: 512.782.4355 F: 877.585.6513 3710 Cedar #228, Austin, TX 78705. |. www.healthstartfoundation.org. Connecting What A Young Child Eats To Their Health.
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University of Texas Elementary School Connecting What A Young Child Eats To Their Health. It’s Time School Summit June 25, 2013 P: 512.782.4355 F: 877.585.6513 3710 Cedar #228, Austin, TX 78705 | www.healthstartfoundation.org
A Little About Us • Robin Herskowitz, Founder & ED • Public Health and Public Education Background • Committed to improving the health of our communities by teaching young children good health basics before they are old enough to develop habits that lead to poor health • Mario Alvarado, Classically Trained Chef • Father of 4 Little Longhorns • Committed to feeding UT Elementary school students tasty, kid-friendly, nutritious and, when possible, locally grown foods • Rebecca Vore, Wellness/Ecology Instructor • Master Gardener – Developed Health and Nutrition Curriculum for Junior Master Gardener • Trainer TX Regional Science Collaborative and REAL School Gardens
UTES Philosophy: A Healthy Body = A Healthy Mind • Focus on a healthy body results in students who: (source: Science Daily March 2008 and Rueters 2008) • Pay attention more in class • Perform better academically Miss fewer days of school • St. David’s Edukitchen • 2012-13 1st year • Functions as learning lab AND place to eat
Making Physical Activity A Priority: • Increases test scores • Reduces behavior problems • Physical Activity at UTES is: • Integrated into school day and campus design • Part of school planning
The Gardens At UTES Provide: • Applied knowledge • Kinesthetic acquisition of information • Reinforcement of systems and cycles • Meaning to learning • Increased parental involvement at school
Health Education For Youngsters! (HEY!) 12 Central Texas Pre & Elementary Schools Piloting HEY! in 2012-13
Billy & Betty Goat: The HealthStart Kids Betty • Betty & Billy go home with Journal • Reinforces the lessons • Parents learn with kids • Students share their Billy & Betty adventures during “show & tell” or circle time Billy
UTES Menus &“What Are You Feeding?” Information HS takes the daily menus and identifies the body system each dish nourishes.
Case Study: UTES & HealthStart Categorized nutritional information appears above the serving line at breakfast and lunch and on a large screen in the dining hall.
UTES/HealthStart Dining Hall Partnership Results • Direct, concrete connection between food and health • Teachable moments for teachers, kitchen staff, and students • Information kids can apply outside of school • NEXT STEP • Take the “What Are You Feeding” concept to the garden
Three Ways To Connect What Kids Eat With Their Health - GARDENS • Plant a school garden • Use the produce in the dining hall or classroom tastings • After school program • RESOURCES: Junior Master Gardener, Roots to Shoots, National Wildlife Federation • Enlist classroom teachers • Demonstrate how the can build on existing lessons/requirements
Three Ways To Connect What Kids Eat With Their Health – DINING HALL • Take it to the dining hall • Label dishes by body part fed • “What Are You Feeding Fridays” • Identification of nutrients cafeteria dishes can be part of science curriculum • Garden & dining connected • Rebecca (Wellness Instructor) sends students to ask Chef(Mario) what’s needed from garden, kids collect and deliver
One HS school involved parents in stocking a “brain food” store One class had a bone food science lesson with a “bone” food tasting. Use the school garden as a natural tasting center “TRY IT TUESDAY” to introduce new veggies Hold an international food day in the dining hall Anyone Can Do One! Classroom Tastings
Scope A Health Project • Know Your School • Start Small • Word of the day, ex. “protein” • Make a chart on an easel for dinning hall • Specific Body System • Make It Broad • Enlist Everyone • Administration, Teachers, Parents, Students, Food Service Staff, Maintenance Staff • Be A Champion/Find A Champion
Getting Buy-In • Have a “champion” • Can be teacher, staff, parent • Enlist the principal • Have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish • Put it in writing, say it out loud • Make your goal part of the conversation • Be a “broken record”
Key Considerations • Staff Resources • Who’s your champion? • Available Funds • Budget for wellness? • Grant funding? • Parent Involvement • Active PTA/Parents group • SHAC
Conclusions • Have a vision • Make a plan • Start small • Be patient • It takes a village • You need champion and buy-In • Celebrate your successes • Even the small ones
Want To Know More? Contact: Robin Herskowitz, Founder HealthStart Foundation 512-496-2106 robin@healthstartfoundation.org Mario Alvarado, Executive Chef UT Elementary School 512-495-3300 x 306 mario.alvarado@austin.utexas.edu Rebecca Vore, Wellness/Ecology Instructor UT Elementary School 512-495-3300 x 339 rvore@austin.utexas.edu | P: 512.782.4355 F: 877.585.6513 3710 Cedar St. #228, Austin, TX 78705 www.healthstartfoundation.org