Nominations Sought for Victory Against Hunger Awards
March 31, 2008 -- The Congressional Hunger Center and Victory Wholesale Group are seeking nominations for the 2008 Victory Against Hunger Awards (VAH). This year, the VAH Awards will recognize 25 organizations that are building innovative “farm to school” programs with $1,000 grants. Nominees can include schools, anti-hunger and community food security advocacy groups, food banks, and other active organizations.
A panel of experts will review this year’s nominees, selecting winners based on their success in fighting hunger by incorporating locally grown, farm fresh foods into their school nutrition programs. These programs connect farms with local school districts, providing students with fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Farm to school programs also provide students with hands on nutrition education, allowing children to visit farms and start school gardens.
Nominees for the VAH awards must be nominated by a member of Congress. The application is a one to two page letter from a member of Congress to the Congressional Hunger Center highlighting the nominee’s efforts to fight hunger through the promotion or creation of innovate farm to school programs. Nominations are accepted April 1st through June 6th. The awards will be announced July 1, 2008. Nominations must include the name and telephone number (including area code) of a contact person from the Congressional office accepting the award check, and the legal name of the organization possibly receiving the award.
The Victory Against Hunger Awards were established by David Kantor, President of Victory Wholesale Group, in order to recognize organizations that are fighting to end hunger in local communities through out the United States. The Congressional Hunger Center was established in 1993 to “fight hunger by developing leaders” who share a commitment ending hunger nationally and globally. The Center oversees both the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows Program and the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program.
For additional information about the awards, please visit Related Links.
MilkPEP introduces the “Refuel Your School” Contest
March 28, 2008 -- MilkPEP (Milk Processor Education Program), creators of the National Milk Mustache got milk? Campaign, recently kicked off the “Refuel Your School” campaign and contest. The campaign is based on studies suggesting that the unique mix of key nutrients in chocolate milk can help refuel and rehydrate the body after exercise. A key element of the Body By Milk teen campaign, the Refuel contest will reward 25 high school athletic teams that choose lowfat chocolate milk to refuel and rehydrate after that big game, practice or workout.
“School foodservice directors are encouraged to team up with coaches and athletic directors to help generate excitement – and help their school become one of the winners,” said Julie Buric, vice-president of marketing at MilkPEP. “Plus, schools throughout the U.S. should be expecting more teens to reach for chocolate milk as this cool new campaign gains momentum through fall 2008, when we’ll be featuring additional resources and programs for school cafeterias.”
Winning teams will score a Refuel Rally to be held at their schools, $1,000 new equipment grant, adidas® gear and more. Entries will be accepted at refuel.bodybymilk.com until June 30, 2008. The website also educates teens about the important benefits of drinking chocolate milk. To help create enthusiasm among their teams, high school coaches across America are receiving a “Refuel Your School Coaches Kit” featuring complete contest details, a “Refuel Your School” contest poster, workout recovery tips, and more info about the science of refueling with chocolate milk.
Why Refuel with Chocolate Milk?
Scientists have evaluated chocolate milk as a post-exercise drink and have identified several reasons why it may be an effective recovery aid: chocolate milk contains a combination of carbohydrates and protein to help replenish exhausted muscles after exercise, and it provides fluids and “electrolytes” such as potassium to assist with rehydration. Additionally, chocolate milk has high-quality protein that helps build lean muscle when combined with exercise.
For more information on the Refuel science and research, visit www.milkdelivers.org
Refuel Your School Contest Details
High school athletes (ages 13-18 years old) are invited to visit refuel.bodybymilk.com and upload a photo or video showcasing how their team chooses milk to refuel and rehydrate post-workout. Plus we’ll be looking for participants to nominate their team coach for the first-ever Body By Milk Coach of the Year. Entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM ET Monday, June 30, 2008. The winning teams will be announced at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year, with Refuel Rallies making visits to winners in September.
Visit refuel.bodybymilk.com or download the poster in related links to find out more.
Body By Milk is part of the National Milk Mustache "got milk?" Campaign, a multi-faceted education program focused on the health benefits of milk. The campaign is managed by the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) in Washington, D.C., which is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The tagline "got milk?"® was created for the California Milk Processor Board by Goodby Silverstein & Partners and is licensed by the national milk processor and dairy producer groups.
Reward Your Favorite School Nutrition Professionals!
March 27, 2008 -- Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week (CNEAW) is fast approaching - what will you do to recognize you favorite child nutrition professionals? This week is a time for teachers, administrators, directors, managers, parents and students to thank school nutrition professionals for all of their hard work.
This year, the School Nutrition Association has designated May 5-9, 2008 as Child Nutrition Employee Appreciation Week.
SNA has a special website dedicated to recognizing these important people and their outstanding commitment to kids and child nutrition. There you can:
Please visit www.schoolnutrition.org/cneaw to find out more.
Also visit the SNA Emporium to view all the new ‘Child Nutrition is my Business’ clothing and gifts at www.emporium.schoolnutrition.org.
SNA Salutes National Nutrition Month
March 26, 2008 -- All throughout March, school nutrition professionals are celebrating National Nutrition Month®, created by the American Dietetic Association in 1973 to promote healthful eating by providing practical nutrition guidance and focusing attention on making informed food choices and developing sound physical activity habits.
School nutrition programs have embraced the trend towards nutritious offerings. Research from the School Nutrition Operations Report: The State of School Nutrition 2007, August 2007, and the SNA Trends Report, August 2007, found that: school nutrition programs are offering many different types of healthy food options:
School nutrition directors also reported increased availability of healthful foods:
The following ideas form the American Dietetic Association website can be used by school nutrition professionals to celebrate National Nutrition Month:
March 25, 2008 -- Developing local school wellness policies in districts across the United States was the first challenge, as teams of administrators, teachers, parents, students and school nutrition professionals came together to determine changes and guidance for creating healthy school environments. But with policies now in place, school nutrition professionals and their allies are facing a whole host of new challenges—as well as some exciting opportunities.
A new publication from SNA provides inspiration and practical ideas for all in the school community who are committed to fostering healthy eating habits in children. Well Done! School Nutrition Professionals Put Wellness Policies to Work is a booklet of motivational tales of how school nutrition directors are meeting the challenges and seizing the opportunities presented by local school wellness policies. School nutrition professionals from districts of all sizes and all across the country share experiences relating to gaining support from principals, teachers, parents and students; establishing cafeteria-based nutrition education programs; finding products to meet new nutrition standards; developing staff wellness programs and making operational changes.
“Turning Cafeterias into Classrooms,” an excerpt from the publication accessible through Related Links, discusses the efforts of Prince William County (Va.) Public Schools to integrate nutrition education into the lunch period.
Well Done! is available for $12 per copy. A special bulk rate is also available to allow school nutrition directors and their supporters to purchase in large quantities and share this publication with key decision makers in their districts, as well as media, parents, legislators and allies in the community. To order copies see the Related Link to the SNA Bookstore.
LAC Reauthorization Town Hall Summary Posted
March 24, 2007 -- SNA members are now able to view a summary of the Reauthorization Town Hall Meeting held during LAC 2008. During the town hall meeting, SNA members were encouraged to share their thoughts and priorities for the 2009 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act.
While SNA’s list of priorities is still developing, members identified several issues are emerging as front runners. These issues include:
The complete wish list of reauthorization priorities is available in the summary. This document also includes highlights from the remarks made by Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) during the town hall meeting. Copies will be sent to all LAC attendees. To access the complete summary, please visit Related Links.
March 24, 2008 -- The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) would like to take you back in time to where it all began…America’s Bandstand! Let’s all take a trip down memory lane with Dick Clark as our host, girls in bobby socks and scarves as the Foundation rocks Philadelphia with the shopping event of the year at the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference. Slip on your dancing shoes and plan to be there or be square and shop at this fun-filled boppin’ extravaganza. The event will run from Sunday, July 20 until Tuesday, July 22.
Donate Now
Please consider donating your “hits” and “top tens” as the Foundation strives to make this a record breaking fundraiser for the Professional Growth Scholarship Program. For a donation form, please see related links or for your convenience, the following website contains an online donation form:
http://docs.schoolnutrition.org/cnfoundation/silentauctionform2008.asp
States, industry and individuals are encouraged to donate an item or a collection of items for this event. Donations are a great opportunity for states to be represented by providing items native to their state, for individuals to showcase their creativity and for industry members to get their brand and products recognized.
Below are ideas for putting together a package as a group, along with a list of suggested items to donate.
State Associations
Industry
Suggested items:
Themes for packages:
For more information or to inquire about popular auction items, please feel free to contact the Foundation at 800-877-8822.
New Orleans School Foodservice Director Wins Silver Plate Award
March 22, 2008 -- Pat Farris, school nutrition director for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, was named by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) as the winner of its 2008 Silver Plate Award in the elementary and secondary schools category. For Farris, the news was unexpected. “I was extremely surprised and actually thought, ‘Oh gee. Have they made a mistake?’” she says.
But there’s no mistaking excellence in K-12 school foodservice. The prestigious Silver Plate recognizes achievements in foodservice management, marketing, human resources and industry and civic participation. Over the course of her 28-year career, Farris has specialized in accomplishing the impossible, whether it involved convincing 80 independent cafeteria managers to switch to central menu planning or computerizing the entire operation in 1 year.
Not only does her school nutrition operation successfully cover 82 schools and 10,000 square miles, but it also pulled back from financial disaster after Hurricane Katrina struck.
After the hurricane, participation dropped from 40,000 to 9,000 daily lunches. “We’ve lost probably $6 million in kitchen equipment,” Farris adds. For their recovery, she banked on best practices like monthly budget reviews and tracking “per-plate” cost; promotional events and branding (including a logo and embroidered uniforms); competitive pay and high-quality employee incentives; a staff wellness program that sets an example for student customers; and more. Her staff rolled up their sleeves, helping with paperwork and even the onerous task of cleaning the operation’s damaged refrigerator storage. “These are absolutely the most dedicated human beings you can imagine,” Farris says.
Today, enrollment has climbed to 35,000, and lunch participation reaches approximately 30,000. “Every day is challenging, and every day is rewarding,” she reports.
Farris also is bouncing back at home. The hurricane hit on her 25th wedding anniversary; she and her husband Joe went from anticipating a romantic vacation to escaping in an SUV hastily stuffed with family photos and clothes. Their house had to be torn down. Nonetheless, Farris insists, “I feel very blessed, although I lost everything.”
Her positive attitude has buoyed her as Farris continues to seek permanent housing. “Every place I move, I make new friends,” she says, delighted. It’s quite a change of pace for a woman who originally hailed from a Southern Louisiana town with a population of only 500. Her community was served by a single school building, where her mother both taught home economics and prepared the school meals. Though Farris enjoyed mathematics—to this day, she relishes “working the numbers” to balance her operation’s $17 million budget—she chose to follow in her mother’s footsteps. “I grew up loving school lunch,” she says. Farris holds a bachelor’s degree in dietetics and a master’s in human nutrition.
At press time, Farris was looking forward to representing the school foodservice profession at the IFMA awards ceremony in Chicago in May. Considering the difficulty vendors have experienced meeting the diversity of nutrition standards nationwide, she says, there “couldn’t be a better time to be interacting with manufacturers.” Her husband is joining her for the trip, and they have heard that IFMA is going to treat all the winners “like royalty.” Congratulations!
Expand Your Understanding of the School Foodservice Market
March 20, 2007 -- 2008 Spring Industry Boot Camp (to be held May 15-16, 2008) is a great opportunity for Industry affiliates to familiarize themselves with recent trends, legislation, nutrition guidelines, commodities, and other important aspects of the school foodservice market.
A highlight of this seminar will be a guided tour of the facilities at the recently constructed T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA, led by foodservice director, Becky Bays. T.C. Williams is a completely “green” structure and won the Green Innovation Award for its environmentally friendly construction (see http://inventorspot.com/articles/tc_williams_high_school_wins_gre_6609 for more information). After the tour, attendees will have lunch with the students and end day one with a panel of school foodservice directors who will answer your questions about their school foodservice operations.
For more information and to register, please see related links.
Scholarship Deadline: April 15, 2008
March 18, 2008 -- One of the many benefits of being an SNA Member is the opportunity to take advantage of the many academic scholarships that are available through the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF). Did you know that SNF is offering four academic scholarships?
The Nancy Curry Scholarship is available to SNA members employed in school foodservice who undertake undergraduate or graduate study at a vocational/technical institution, community college, college or university. Children of active SNA members who pursue a school foodservice-related field of study are also eligible. One scholarship is awarded each year.
The Schwan’s Food Service Scholarships are available to SNA members who pursue formal education in a school foodservice-related field and express a desire to make school foodservice a career. Children of active SNA members who pursue a school foodservice-related field of study are also eligible.
The SNF Professional Growth Scholarship is funded by SNA members who participate in the ANC Silent Auction. This scholarship is open to all members pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in a school foodservice related field.
TheWinston Scholarship is a new scholarship foractive SNA members and their dependents who wish to pursue a Vocational/Technological undergraduate or graduate degree. Individual scholarships are valued at $2,500 each.
Current applications for these scholarships are now available online at www.schoolnutrition.org/SNF. It’s not too late to start the process. Check the website for tips on submitting a captivating application. All applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2008.
If you have any questions regarding any of these scholarships please feel free to contact the Foundation at 800-877-8822.
Grants Available for Summer Feeding and After School Sponsors
March 17, 2008 -- Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale is now requesting proposals for grants to increase participation among low-income children in summer and afterschool meal programs. The program will be accepting applications from March 10, 2008 through May 30, 2008 from sponsors of meal programs including the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Grants from the Great American Bake Sale help to increase participation in meal programs that utilize USDA reimbursement funding. Nonprofit organizations, as well as school districts, that are working to increase the number of students participating in afterschool and summer feeding programs are eligible to apply.
There are two types of grants being offered:
For additional information and to access a grant application, please visit Related Links.
The Great American Bake Sale is an annual event held by Share Our Strength and presented this year in conjunction with the Food Network and Family Circle Magazine. Since 2003, more than 1 million people have participated in the program raising nearly $4 million for grants to organizations increasing participation in summer feeding and after school programs. Share Our Strength is a national organization working with community groups, activists, and food programs to ensure that no child in America goes hungry.
March 14, 2008 -- University of Minnesota School of Public Health Project Eating Among Teens (EAT) researchers have found further evidence to support the importance of encouraging youth to eat breakfast regularly.
Researchers examined the association between breakfast frequency and five-year body weight change in more than 2,200 adolescents, and the results indicate that daily breakfast eaters consumed a healthier diet and were more physically active than breakfast skippers during adolescence. Five years later, the daily breakfast eaters also tended to gain less weight and have lower body mass index levels--an indicator of obesity risk--compared with those who had skipped breakfast as adolescents.
Mark Pereira, Ph.D., corresponding author on the study, points out that this study extends the literature on the topic of breakfast habits and obesity risk because of the size and duration of the study.
Over the past two decades, rates of obesity have doubled in children and nearly tripled in adolescents. Fifty-seven percent of adolescent females and 33 percent of males frequently use unhealthy weight-control behaviors, and it is estimated that between 12 and 24 percent of children and adolescents regularly skip breakfast. This percentage of breakfast skippers, while alarming, has been found to increase with age.
Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., principal investigator of Project EAT, says that this research confirms the importance of teaching adolescents to start the day off right by eating breakfast.
"Although adolescents may think that skipping breakfast seems like a good way to save on calories, findings suggest the opposite. Eating a healthy breakfast may help adolescents avoid overeating later in the day and disrupt unhealthy eating patterns, such as not eating early in the day and eating a lot late in the evening."
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) believes that school breakfast programs provide convenient, nutritionally balanced, and affordable breakfast options to students in elementary and secondary schools. School breakfasts provide 25% of the recommended daily allowance of protein, calcium and iron, vitamins A and C and calories and meet federal nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
While school breakfast programs provide nutritious breakfasts to more than 9.3 million children each school day in over 80,000 schools, there is still an opportunity to expand the number of students that participate. Many school nutrition programs are using innovative approaches to serving breakfast to students such as serving it during first period, through ‘grab and go’ bags in the halls, or even serving it on the school bus.
The study, "Breakfast Eating and Weight Change in a 5-Year Prospective Analysis of Adolescents: Project EAT," will be published in the March edition of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
School Nutrition: Good for You!
March 14, 2008 -- The annual “personal wellness” edition of School Nutrition magazine encourages taking the time to focus on your own personal wellness. When you are energized and inspired, you are doubly empowered to continue nourishing and protecting America’s kids in fresh, creative ways. This year, the magazine focuses on an aspect of personal wellness that might surprise you: volunteerism.
Believe it or not, American volunteerism is reportedly at a 30-year high! “At Your Service?” takes a look at the possible reasons for this trend—and the ways that volunteering has changed over the years. Next, consider research about the unique, personal benefits of volunteering in “Good for You!”
Want to hear about hot trends in volunteerism? “Charity Begins Online” explains the trend of e-volunteerism, as modern technologies supercharge America’s volunteer efforts. You could change the world with a click of your mouse! “Life Lessons” takes a look at volunteerism from your student customers’ point of view, as it explains the trend of schools requiring volunteer work—and what kind of impact this might be having.
Last, but not least, comes an article about the “least of these.” Discover how you and your student customers can help to raise awareness about world hunger—and the funds to fight it. Turn to “Global Child Nutrition Month” for more information about this important event, which is taking place in April 2008. You won’t want to miss it.
Throughout the magazine, you also will find stories from other school foodservice professionals about their adventures in volunteering. And as a bonus: Get an exclusive sneak peek at the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference, when you read the program preview included in this month’s magazine. Whether you are in the kitchen, at the office or on the go, SN magazine is here to help you plan a brighter future.
Bagelstar Galactica Blasts Off to Planet Breakfast
March 13, 2008 -- The Fuel Your Imagination rocket race has a winner! With 47% of the fuel credits, the Bagelstar Galactica got the fuel it needs to visit Planet Breakfast and explore the school nutrition galaxy.
The Sausage Saucer and Lunar Eggsplorer came in second and third with 27% and 26% of the total fuel credits. In fact due to some last minute cafeteria fuelling the Sausage Saucer overtook the Lunar Eggsplorer on the very last day of fuelling!
You can check out the breakfast rockets, along with the creative writing contest winning entries at www.schoolbreakfast.org
Thank you! We would also like to add a big thank you to all our members and students who took part in School Breakfast Fuel Your Imagination. We hope you enjoyed National School Breakfast Week 2008 and we want to hear how you celebrated. Please send details of you NSBW celebration to School Nutrition magazine. Did you decorate the cafeteria? What activities did you organize? Send your photos and a short report of your promotion to NSBW Wrap-Up, School Nutrition, 700 S. Washington Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314, or snmagazine@schoolnutrition.org.
See your story published and be over the moon!
US Potato Board: School Wellness Grant Program
March 13, 2008 -- US Potato Board (USPB) and the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) are partners in sponsoring the first-ever School Wellness Grant Program. Ten (10) grants will be awarded for qualified public elementary school districts to receive funds in the amount of $2,500. Grant recipients are expected to use these funds for one of the following: purchasing food service equipment for the healthful preparation of fresh or processed potatoes; physical activity equipment; or development of nutrition or physical education programs.
Eligibility Requirements:
Grant Deadline: April 15, 2008
Grant applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2008. If you have any questions regarding the grant please contact the Foundation at 800-877-8822. For a grant application, please see related links.
A Possible Dream Gala a Success
March 12, 2008 -- On March 4th, the Global Child Nutrition Foundation celebrated its largest ever A Possible Dream Gala. The Gala brought together in an evening of tribute to outstanding champions of child nutrition, 555 SNA officers and members, leaders from many of our most supportive industries, directors of international NGOs working in reducing hunger, and government officials from the U.S. Congress, USAID, USDA, and other agencies. Geri Dee was acknowledged as SNA's 2007 National Outstanding Director of the Year, and Mimi Ford of J&J Snacks was recognized as SNA's 2007 Individual Industry Member of the Year. The highlight of the evening was presentation of the prestigious Gene White Lifetime Achievement Award to Edward M. Cooney, Executive Director of the Congressional Hunger Center.
Held at Washington, DC's Ronald Reagan Building, the 2008 Gala included two receptions and the award dinner with entertainment. The evening was sponsored by a record number of 40 corporations, foundations and other organizations, and state SNA associations. Pierre Foods and Solae provided the Gala's lead Advocate for Children's Dreams sponsorships, and the following provided sponsorships as Builders of Children's Dreams: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PepsiCo Foodservice, Schwan's Food Service, Inc., Tetra Pak Inc., and The Coca-Cola Company. Seven of our SNA corporate members supported the Global Child Nutrition Foundation through GCNF Benefactor sponsorships: Advance Food Company, American Beverage Association, Enodis USA, J&J Snack Foods Corp., MilkPEP, the National Dairy Council, and Winston Industries.
The Global Child Nutrition Foundation is grateful for the exceptional support it received this year in both sponsorships and attendance at its 2008 Gala!
School Nutrition Professionals Work to Reduce Free Lunch Stigma
March 11, 2008 -- Everyday, school nutrition professionals work hard to provide healthy and nutritious meals to students of all socio-economic backgrounds. These professionals ensure that all children, paying or not, receive meals in a safe, stigma-free environment. Unfortunately, a recently published New York Times article, “Free Lunch Isn’t Cool, So Some Students Go Hungry,” inaccurately portrayed the efforts of school nutrition professionals nationwide.
The article stated that some free and reduced eligible students in several San Francisco, Calif. high schools do not participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) due to the stigma attached to it. The students interviewed claimed that being seen with an NSLP lunch lowered their “status.” As a result, these students opted to avoid lunch all together.
Nationally, school nutrition professionals work hard daily to provide safe, nutritious school meals for all children, regardless of income level. They do this in accordance with federal law, ensuring that students who are eligible for free and reduced price meals are not identified. In the past year, approximately 60% of the 30 million students served lunch daily received free or reduced price meals.
The March 1, 2008 article provided readers with limited examples and broad generalizations that high school students either pay for a la carte options or go hungry, instead of opting for a NSLP meal. In reality, this is not the case. According to SNA’s 2007 School Nutrition Operations Report, the median participation rate at the high school level is 40% paid and 52% free/reduced, an increase since the last report in 2003.
The article did not reflect the many different methods school nutrition professionals are using to eliminate overt identification of free/reduced eligible students. Automated payment systems are increasingly popular in school districts across the country, including in San Francisco, where school officials hope to expand use of the systems from several pilot schools. These automated payment systems use a swipe card or a pin number that makes it impossible to determine who is paying for their meal and who is classified as free and reduced. In 2007, approximately 62% of school districts had a electronic automated payment systems in place. Additionally, many school districts combine their lunch lines, so that students must purchase both the NSLP meal and a la carte items in the same line.
The weekend this article was published, over 750 school nutrition professionals from across the country were in Washington, DC, urging Congress to consider a science based, uniform, national nutrition standard to govern all foods sold on the school campus during the school day. By creating a consistent standard based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, there would be little distinction between a la carte and NSLP food choices, therefore eliminating identification of students.
National School Breakfast Week: In the News
March 10, 2008 -- In celebration of National School Breakfast Week, March 3 - 7, 2008, SNA members nationwide took to the airwaves to promote the benefits of school breakfast. From North Carolina to Washington State, members participated in TV, radio and print interviews that covered the link between school breakfast and academic achievement and the types of healthy meal options being offered for the first meal of the day. Television and radio interviews aired in Detroit, Indianapolis and Seattle among others, and SNA president Mary Hill spoke on the nationally syndicated Family Net radio network last Monday. Over 50 articles have appeared nationwide and a total television audience of over 750,000 has heard the key messages on school breakfast.
TV interviews included the following:
National School Breakfast Week, WISH – TV, In. February 27, 2008
Schools Offering Nutritious, Healthy Breakfast Items, MyFox Detroit, Mich. March 6, 2008
National School Breakfast Week, KOMO-TV and KING, Wash. March 3, 2008
Among the print coverage to date:
Brightening up school menus, The Arizona Republic March 4, 2008 “It is an appropriate time for all the fresh fruit treats to return to Scottsdale cafeterias because Monday begins National School Breakfast Week 2008, according to the Virginia-based School Nutrition Association.”
Breakfast! Wake up, eat something! Atlanta Journal Constitution March 3, 2008 “The idea is to remind everybody that even if you have to rush off to school, you shouldn't start your day without a good breakfast. And if you don't have time to eat at home, then eat at school! Did you know that more than 82,000 schools in the U.S. serve breakfast every day to almost 9 million students? That's a lot of eggs and fruit and cereal!”
Breakfast: Fuel for the day Daily Mining Gazette, Mich. March 7, 2008 ‘Food services director Carol Pietala said National School Breakfast Week — sponsored by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) — is designed to raise awareness of the availability of the school breakfast program as well as emphasize research that shows students who eat breakfast perform better in the classroom. “We invite the parents and the grandparents to come in and see the cafeteria and the school breakfast program. We’ve been doing this for quite a few years,” she said. “The kids are excited. Sometimes their little brothers and sisters come in so it’s a fun time for everyone.”’
State superintendent dishes out breakfast at Helena school, KPAX-TV, Mont. March 6, 2008 ‘Linda McCulloch served breakfast to students at Central Elementary School Tuesday morning. She says children who eat breakfast have fewer health issues, higher attendance rates and behave better in class. "The importance is to make sure the kids have a successful day at school. When their tummies are full, when they start working in the morning, they're going to concentrate better and do better on any test that we give and they're going to get along with each other better."’
Pancakes fly during National School Breakfast Week, Grand Forks Herald, ND March 5, 2008 ‘Linda McCulloch served breakfast to students at Central Elementary School Tuesday morning. She says children who eat breakfast have fewer health issues, higher attendance rates and behave better in class. "The importance is to make sure the kids have a successful day at school. When their tummies are full, when they start working in the morning, they're going to concentrate better and do better on any test that we give and they're going to get along with each other better."’
Bill on House floor in support of school breakfast programs, WisPolitics.com, Wisc. March 5, 2008 ‘Congresswoman Moore introduced a resolution yesterday recognizing the importance of the National School Breakfast Program (NSBP) and calling on states to expand their school breakfast programs. The bill will be considered on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for debate this afternoon. “The evidence shows that kids do better in school when they’ve had a decent breakfast,” Congresswoman Moore said. “I know firsthand what it’s like to attend class on an empty stomach. I can tell you, when you’re focusing on your stomach it is very difficult to focus on the chalkboard.”’
A special thank you to National School Breakfast Week promotion sponsors General Mills Foodservice and the National Dairy Council who provided support for promotional materials.
LAC 2008 Wrap Up
March 7, 2008 -- This week, over 750 school nutrition professionals gathered in Washington, DC for the 2008 Legislative Action Conference. Participants attended several dynamic pre-conference sessions and listened to a variety of speakers discuss the major policy challenges facing school nutrition programs nationwide. Below are some highlights from the conference:
House Committee on Education and Labor holds a hearing - “Challenges and Opportunities for Improving School Nutrition”
March 6, 2008 -- School Nutrition Association members packed the halls of Congress, Tuesday March 5th after several SNA members were invited by House Education and Labor Committee chairman George Miller to testify at a hearing to examine ways to improve school nutrition and safety in the school food supply.
Major issues discussed at the hearing were nutrition standards, meal reimbursement rates and the Westland Hallmark beef recall. Members testifying included, SNA President, Mary Hill, SNA Vice President, Dora Rivas, Director of Food and Nutrition Services from Mt. Diablo Unified School District Kathleen Corrigan and Administrative Director for the Department of Food and Nutrition for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Penny Parham. Additional witnesses included Kate Houston, Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Kenneth Hecht, Executive Director, California Food Policy Advocates, San Francisco, California.
Mary Hill testified on SNA’s 2008 Legislative priorities and the USDA beef recall.
Hill testified extensively on the need for uniform national nutrition standards and how the current lack of uniformity is contributing to increased costs for meal programs. She urged the Congress to require a science-based, yet practical, uniform national nutrition standard to govern the sale of all foods and beverages sold on the school campus during the school day. Ms. Hill asked Congress to give the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to regulate and enforce the sale of food and beverages outside of the cafeteria. She also requested that Congress require all a la carte and competitive food sales to be consistent with the Dietary Guidelines and national uniform school meal patterns throughout the country.
Hill applauded USDA’s efforts during the beef recall, but highlighted two areas that need to be improved: The need for faster communication between the USDA Food and Nutrition Service and local recipients and improvements in the USDA procedures for executing a recall, including better education for school districts and additional funds for transportation and disposal of recalled products.
At the close of her testimony, Hill was given the opportunity to outline SNA's requests for the 2009 Reauthorization, including:
Kathleen Corrigan testified on her district's school breakfast program, as well as changes implemented with state nutrition standards legislation.
Dora Rivas discussed the actions Dallas Independent School District took in response to the beef recall. She spoke in detail on the removal and disposal of product from the school food system, as well as the costs associated with the recall. Rivas also testified on the current food safety measures in place in schools including the HACCP plan.
Penny Parham testified on actions taken by the Miami-Dade County Public Schools in response to the recall. Parham also highlighted issues in her district with inadequate funding to cover meal production costs. Parham asked congress for increased reimbursement rates and a commodity allocation for fluid milk.
Kate Houston testified on the events leading up to and following the beef recall and the actions taken by FNS in response. She applauded stakeholder groups, including the SNA, for their assistance in the disseminating information about the recall. Deputy Under Secretary Houston reviewed FNS efforts to improve current recall procedures and ensured the safety of the school food supply.
Kenneth Hecht discussed suggestions for improvement in USDA commodity programs and expressed his interest in reducing barriers and expanding participation to federal nutrition programs.
The hearing proved to be a successful way to increase the committee’s knowledge of issues facing child nutrition programs.
For a copy of the witness testimony and other information regarding the hearing, please visit Related Links.
SNA Announces the Creative Writing Contest Winners for Breakfast Week 2008!
March 5, 2008 -- As part of the ‘Fuel Your Imagination’ National School Breakfast Week celebration, SNA challenged students nationwide to write a short creative story on how eating school breakfast can help kids ’fuel their imagination’, be their best or achieve their dreams.
SNA is very proud to announce the three winners of the national creative writing contest from SNA member districts in North Carolina, Michigan and Virginia. Congratulations go to:
The three winning stories complete with illustrations, can be found at the official “Fuel Your Imagination” Web site: www.schoolbreakfast.org.
Winners received an illustrated copy of their story and a $100 gift certificate to buy books.
The creative writing contest ran from November 1- December 31, 2007 and had both a local and national element. Full contest rules can be found at www.schoolnutrition.org/nsbw.
March 4, 2008 -- The House Committee on Education and Labor is holding a hearing on the school nutrition programs this afternoon. The hearing will cover issues facing the school nutrition programs, including the recent beef recall. SNA President Mary Hill, SNS is among those testifying.
Hill will testify about SNA's 2008 legislative priorities and the USDA beef recall:
At the close of her testimony, Hill will also outline SNA's requests for the 2009 Reauthorization, including:
In addition to Hill, also scheduled to testify are:
For a copy of Mary Hill's testimony and other information regarding the hearing, please visit Related Links.
SNA’s 2008 Spring Membership Drive!
March 4, 2008 -- The School Nutrition Association is continuing to cook up membership success with the 2008 Spring Membership Drive, Springtime Recipes for Mixing in New Members. The drive will begin March 1 and run until April 30, 2008. The drive is an excellent opportunity for states and state leaders to promote and strengthen child nutrition programs by recruiting new members and spreading the word about SNA. You’ll want to help your state by educating potential members about the many SNA benefits.
The top two recruiting states in each region will be awarded one complimentary annual membership to SNA and be recognized in the magazine, on the website and at the Annual National Conference in Philadelphia.
If you have any questions regarding the 2008 Spring Membership Drive or would like to receive recruiting materials, please contact Christina Snowden, Membership Assistant at (800) 877-8822 x171 or email csnowden@schoolnutrition.org.
SNA & NDC to Host FREE Webinar on Dairy Procurement!
Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST (11:00 am – 12:00 pm PST) Cost: FREE!
Overview The School Nutrition Foundation and the National Dairy Council invite you to learn from your peers about successful dairy bidding practices by participating in our ‘Dairy Procurement: How to Develop Bid Specifications & RFP’s for a Successful & Cost Effective Program’ webinar. This hour-long session will answer any questions you may have about how to develop cost-effective bid specifications and RFP’s for your school nutrition program. The webinar will also review the Keys to Excellence best practices framework for procurement of milk and dairy products.
By participating in this informative webinar you will gain a better understanding of:
Speakers include Chad Mitchell, Rock-Hill, SC; Melanie Konarik, Spring ISD, TX; Beverly Blough, Woods County Schools, WV; and Teresa Nece as conference facilitator.
Registration Registration for this event is FREE, so don’t delay - reserve your spot today!
For more information and to register for the ‘Dairy Procurement: How to Develop Bid Specifications & RFP’s for a Successful & Cost Effective Program’ webinar, please visit: www.schoolnutrition.org/procurement.
Please note: if you are unable to participate, an archived version will be available at the website listed above within one business day of the live event.< /p>
What is a Webinar? Webinars are really simple - all you need is a telephone to listen to the conference call portion and a computer with internet access to follow the visual slide presentation.
For questions regarding this webinar please contact SNA’s Service Center at servicecenter@schoolnutrition.org