SPRING ISD – Ponderosa Elementary School and Smith Elementary School in Spring ISD were honored Oct. 17, during a special recognition reception on the White House lawn, for achieving the gold level in the HealthierUS School Challenge competition, which is sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Last school year, Ponderosa Principal Debbie Graham and Smith Principal Peggy Husky accepted the challenge to create and maintain a healthier learning environment on their campuses. Their decision required their campuses to ensure that students are offered nutritious foods, encouraged and provided opportunities to participate in physical activities daily and taught how to make healthy choices.
“We had no clue that we would be invited to Washington D.C. and our campuses would be recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama. We believe in having a healthier student body. Our staff has bought into it, and our teachers model healthy behavior. To be recognized nationally by the First Lady was a special surprise,” said Graham.
The First Lady hosted a reception on the South Lawn to honor the 1,273 schools that met the challenge and thanked educators for their leadership during an address from the White House steps.
A news release issued by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service provided the following quote from the First Lady’s remarks: “Educators see firsthand the impact that childhood obesity has on our children’s lives – not just on their physical and emotional health, but on their academic success as well. That’s why our nation’s educators have been leaders in this movement to end the epidemic of childhood obesity in America,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “Today, we’re not just thanking these educators, but encouraging them to continue that leadership, to reach out and help other schools by sharing good ideas and best practices, and encouraging and inspiring each other. The HealthierUS Schools Competition is a competition every school in America can win. And when our schools win, our kids win and our country wins.”
Both Graham and Husky emphasized the importance that physical activity played in the success of their schools. Classroom teachers made a commitment to honor the need for students to have recess, physical education teachers stepped up their game and music teachers incorporated more movement into their lessons.
“The activities our students experienced in PE and music classes met the guidelines. Ensuring that all students participated in recess won us the gold,” said Graham.
Campus cafeteria managers, Jennifer Moulton, Ponderosa, and Sue Hauhan Majano, Smith, and Laura Mason, Spring ISD child nutrition assistant director, also attended the reception in Washington D.C. The cafeteria managers contributed to the success of their campuses through a yearlong effort to teach students healthy food choices and serve foods that were nutritious, appealing and flavorful. They used their cafeterias and kitchens as classrooms and provided opportunities for the students’ families to taste the healthier menu items. Mason had worked with the campuses to create the new menus.
Superintendent Dr. Ralph H. Draper was one of 11 administrators nationwide who were invited to speak about the impact of the HealthierUS School Challenge on their districts. A video of Dr. Draper’s remarks regarding Spring ISD’s approach to the challenge is on the USDA Team Nutrition website at http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/HealthierUS/Winners/9.html.
Both Graham and Husky agree that the extra effort invested in promoting a healthier learning environment on their campuses is worthwhile, and they are going for the gold-with-distinction level this year.
“Good nutrition and exercise increase brain power. We are absolutely going for the gold again this year,” Husky said.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading …
Posted in 
Add to Google