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Spotlight: BIC Breakfast BunchD.C. Healthy Schools Act
In May 2010, the D.C. Council passed the Healthy Schools Act, a landmark law designed to improve the health and wellness of students attending D.C. public and public charter schools. The Act took effect August 2010.
This website will introduce you to specific components of the act and resources to get your local schools involved.
Now that the Act is in the second year of implementation, see the year one – DC Healthy Schools Act Year One Snapshot (pdf) – and year two – Report on the Health, Wellness and Nutrition of Youth and Schools in the District of Columbia (pdf) – accomplishments.
LATEST NEWS
F(un)-Cook Book
The DC Farm to School Network’s dietetic intern Catherine has been hard at work on a raw-prep cookbook to celebrate school garden harvests each season. More than 30 easy to prepare recipes showcase a different garden delight. Give them a try in your school garden or at home! Explore the F(un)-Cook Book (pdf) and follow her week of cooking demos in D.C. schools via twitter!
Healthy Lunchtime Challenge
First Lady Michelle Obama is again teaming up with Epicurious, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture to host a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy eating among America’s youth. For more information and submission guidelines, visit this website. Also, visit the Healthy Schools Act tip page to see how District schools are engaging school administrators, students, families and community organizations around healthy eating.
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Hosted by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition — a who’s who of 25 Americans appointed by President Barack Obama to represent healthy lifestyles — the initiative is simple: to motivate all Americans to get more physical activity. Watch the PSA below for more information and ideas for staying active:
Upcoming Events:
May 29 – The DC Office of the Superintendent of Education – Farm to School – Strawberries & Salad Greens Day (pdf)
RSVP here.
May 23 – Farm to School 101 Training (pdf)
Hosted by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education & the DC Farm to School Network at DC Greens.
Grants Available to Support School Breakfast and Physical Activity
Action for Healthy Kids, partnering with CSX Transportation, Kellogg Company, and the Walmart Foundation are offering grants for the 2013-2014 school year to support increasing breakfast participation or adding more minutes of physical activity for students. Awards will be given to over 400 schools ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Applications are due April 19, 2013. More…
Report on the Health, Wellness and Nutrition of Youth and Schools in the District of Columbia
The Report assesses the overall implementation of the HSA of 2010 and its 2011 amendments with a focus on the following key areas of the Act: School Nutrition – Title II, Farm to School – Title III, Physical and Health Education – Title IV, Environment – Title V, and Health and Wellness – Title VI. For each area, the report highlights: significant achievements, select best practices adopted by other states and schools, and recommendations. More… (pdf)
Physical Activity Grant Opportunity
The Division of Wellness and Nutrition Services within the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is soliciting grant applications for the District of Columbia Physical Activity for Youth (DC PAY) program. The purpose of this program is to increase the capacity of DC schools to provide physical activity to all students before, during, or after the school day. More… (pdf)
USDA Farm to School Grants Available
Three different kinds of grants are available:
- Planning grants, intended for schools just getting started on farm to school activities;
- Implementation grants, available for schools seeking to augment or expand existing efforts;
- Support service grants, for eligible non-profit entities, Indian tribal organizations, state and local agencies, and agriculture producers or groups of producers, to conduct trainings, create complementary curriculum, or further develop supply chains, among other activities.
Proposals are due at midnight EST, April 24, 2013. To assist eligible entities in preparing proposals, USDA will host a series of webinars related to the application process:
- March 5, 2013, 1:00 EST – Planning Grants
- March 6, 2013, 1:00 EST – Implementation Grants
- March 7, 2013, 1:00 EST – Support Service Grants
New Report Shows School Breakfast Participation Continues to Grow in Washington, D.C.
D.C. Healthy Schools Act Ensures Low-Income Children Have Access to Healthy Meals at School
The School Breakfast Scorecard, a report released annually by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), found that D.C. served 69.5 low-income children breakfast for every 100 that received lunch during the 2011-2012 school year, which is an increase from the previous school year’s high of 64.2 students for every 100 receiving school lunch. More…
DC Healthy Schools Act Hearing
A public hearing will take place on Thursday, December 13 at 11am in the Wilson Building to discuss implementation of the HSA of 2010 and the District’s Environmental Literacy Plan. More…
VIDEO: Ballou High School’s Entry to the Fit for our Future Video Competition 2012
Action for Healthy Kids is pleased to announce grant funding…
…to support elementary schools’ wellness initiatives for the 2013 calendar year. With generous funding from Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation, AFHK will award 40 schools with $1,000 each to impact nutrition and/or physical activity programming. Grants are currently only available in the following states: Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Grant introduction webinar: Monday, December 3 at 4:00 pm. Deadline for submission: Friday, December 14. More…
Book available – A Year of Being Well: Messages from Families on Living Healthier Lives…
…Stories of people who have pinpointed areas in their everyday life that could be healthier, and changed them. Their stories are spread over 13 chapters, one a month for a year, each giving a specific action. Schools and communities can order the book in bulk. More…
10,000 DC Students Participate in Growing Healthy Schools Week 2012
62 schools participated, involving 10,000 students; 34 chefs demos reached over 1,000 students. More…
USDA Awards Grant to DC Central Kitchen to Increase Local Foods in Eligible Schools
DC Central Kitchen’s project – “Capacity for Change: Growing a Year-Round Farm to School Program” – will focus on infrastructure development. More… (pdf)
Grants available – Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge
Action for Healthy Kids is pleased to announce grant funding to support elementary schools’ wellness initiatives for the 2013 calendar year. With generous funding from Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation, AFHK will award 40 schools with $1,000 each to impact nutrition and/or physical activity programming. Learn more…
