Posted by Dr. Janey Thornton, Deputy Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services on June 3, 2011
May 25 was a fabulous day in Dallas, as I presented 154 HealthierUS School Challenge awards to schools of the Dallas Independent School District – the greatest number to a single school district thus far. 78 schools received gold awards and another 76 earned bronze level awards. And, Texas leads the nation with 228 out of 1155 schools in the 42 states that have earned awards.
Posted by Jessica Wahl, Youth Programs Specialist, Department of the Interior on June 3, 2011
On June 4, 2011, the American Hiking Society will hold its 19th annual National Trails Day® (NTD), a celebration of America's magnificent trails system and its countless supporters and volunteers. This year’s NTD theme is, “Made With All Natural Ingredients,” which supports Let’s Move! Outside (LMO), the outdoor activity component of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative to end childhood obesity in a generation. Together, LMO and NTD have inspired land managers and other local and state organizations to host nearly two thousand events nationwide to help connect people, especially youth, with our nation’s extensive trail system.
Posted by Stephen McDonough, MD, Council Member, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition on June 3, 2011
On May 9th, 2011, I joined fellow members of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition on the South Lawn of the White House. We had the opportunity to participate in and lead exercise stations with military families on a beautiful spring day in Washington. These military families, and the many others across the country, need as much support as possible as they sacrifice to protect our country. At the event, First Lady Michelle Obama announced that Council members had each committed to participating in at least two events this year as part of the Council’s support of Joining Forces, the national initiative launched by the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden to honor and support service members and their families.
Posted by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on June 2, 2011
Cross-posted on USDA blog and the White House blog.
Today was an exciting day at USDA as I was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin to unveil USDA's new food icon, MyPlate. The icon is a departure from MyPyramid and serves as a quick, simple reminder to all consumers, built off of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for all Americans.
Posted by Jessica Wahl, Youth Programs Specialist, Department of the Interior on June 1, 2011
On Wednesday, May 4, the 850 students at Ronald E. McNair Elementary School in Dallas, Texas got the chance to team up with some of their heroes to participate in a health and wellness event that added a unique twist to the ways we can move and learn outdoors. NIKE’s NFL PLAYERS Live! In the Community, an initiative of the NFL Players Association, partnered with REAL School Gardens to present a day of activities that propelled students beyond the classroom walls to experience how outdoor education can help them grow as learners and healthier people. McNair Elementary Principal Virginia Lockwood-Terry described it as “a day the children will remember for the rest of their lives” as they interacted with current and former NFL players.
Thanks to the support of their community and a group of NFL players, kids at one Dallas elementary school discovered that getting outside is fun, healthy and a great way to get hands-on experience learning about math and science. (Photo by Kimberly Hall Alexander)
Posted by Brandi Sweet, Bureau of Indian Education, Department of the Interior on June 1, 2011
Deep in the heart of Menominee country, Chaske Spencer addressed over 350 Native American children and community members in Keshena, Wisconsin on May 25, 2011 during the launch of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! in Indian Country initiative to combat childhood obesity. The community, vastly known for its tranquil outdoor beauty and lush forests is also suffering, like most tribal communities, from obesity and health related issues among its youth. According to the tribe’s Chairman, Mr. Randall Chevalier, the community, “has ranked dead last out of 72 counties in Wisconsin on all health risk factors”.
Posted by James Arena-DeRosa, USDA, Food & Nutrition Service Regional Administrator on May 31, 2011
Students at Bellingham (MA) Public Schools found the key to attracting some top individuals to their school for lunch: they asked a state senator, state representative, a food industry executive, the state Child Nutrition director and me to judge the school’s entries in the national Recipes for Healthy Kids competition. The school had much to be proud of because their terrific team created not one, but two semi-finalist recipes: “Tasty Tots” and “Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.”
Posted by Kenneth Sierra, Northeast Regional Public Affairs Director, USDA Food and Nutrition Service on May 31, 2011
It’s only natural that when the team from Charter Oak International Academy came up with their entry in the Recipes for Healthy Kids competition it would have true international flavor. The West Hartford, CT school is a magnet school with a global focus, including Spanish language instruction. Their “Fiesta Wrap” stars quinoa and black beans accompanied by vegetables, lime juice, spices and reduced fat cheddar cheese with optional toppings such as fresh tomatoes, corn salsa or fiesta sauce.
Posted by Larry Echo Hawk, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior on May 27, 2011
Cross-posted from the Department of Interior.
Posted by Jessica Milteer, USDA Food and Nutrition Service on May 27, 2011
Dr. Seuss wrote about green eggs and ham but McDougle Elementary School didn’t stick to the script. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina school stirred its way into the semi-finals of the Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge by adding added nutritious brown rice. They also used chopped spinach to give the dish a vibrant green color.
