Students have opinions, and those points of view are not restricted to MTV, video games, and the mall. Covering the child nutrition and hunger beat, I regularly meet young people who have something to tell the adults who control the food, physical education, and activity environments at their school. Students know which healthy foods taste good, how to make a nutrition lesson compelling and engaging, and what physical activities motivate kids to remain active. These are the questions each school district must answer in order to write their local wellness policy; however, school districts don't always take the time to listen to students' ideas on new policies.

• Angela and Lauren [2]
• Leah and Sara [3]
• Lauren and Megan [4]

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Ashley and Leah

Ashley and Leah

(view Leah's questions below [5])

Leah is from New Jersey, and her troop activities have focused on careers, gang prevention, and nutrition.

CFK: Do you think your school could benefit by being asked to come up with its own wellness policy? Why?

L: Yes, it would be good to have their own wellness policy. It would be best having their own because you won't have to worry about getting feedback from other people and other schools. Maybe after you start the wellness program, other people can give their opinion and put their thoughts on the policy and then you can add to it.

CFK: What kinds of meals are healthy and tasty? What kinds of meals are healthy, but gross tasting?

L: Things that are healthy and tasty are sandwiches, salads, chicken, and vegetables like corn. Things that are healthy and gross are things like spinach.

CFK: How can schools make lessons about reading nutritional labels and recommended calorie intake interesting?

L: They can make it more interesting by having a workshop on all different foods that are healthy and tasty and allow us to sample the various dishes.

CFK: Do you think your school has a responsibility to you and your classmates to ensure that you eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, and learn about leading a healthy life? Why?

L: I believe that it is already being done because it already has classes like gym and health. I have learned the food pyramid and ways to stay healthy like exercising.

CFK: What have the Girl Scouts taught you about those topics?

L: We did a badge on healthy living once, when I first came to Girl Scouts but we have not done anything this year.

CFK: During the school day, your school already regulates what you can wear, what you can learn, where you can go, ect. How much can the schools regulate what you eat? Is it effective to ban unhealthy food options? Why or why not?

L: They can regulate just the time that we are in there and what they give us. No, because I like to have a snack with lunch. So either way I will have a snack if they ban it or not.

CFK: Do you think your school would lose money by not selling popular low nutritious items like soda, candy, and fried foods? Is a ban worth it, if kids can just go out and buy junk food when they leave school?

L: I believe they will lose a lot of money because we are going to eat snacks anyway because we want to eat snacks .

CFK: Do you think kids who have fewer financial resources have more barriers to accessing healthy foods and physical activities? Is it always a matter of choice that children lead unhealthy lifestyles? Why or why not?

L: I don't think so because eating healthy foods does not require a lot of money or a lot of things. Normally just getting lettuce and putting some meat on it can be healthy and those things are not expensive. I think it is not a child's choice because your parents normally buy the foods that you eat and prepare the meals. So you have no choice in the matter, unless you buy your own food.

Resources

Get Ideas and Support to Develop Local Wellness Policy

• FRAC Parent Outreach Brochure [6]
• Action for Healthy Children [7]
• National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity [8]
• USDA Food and Nutrition Services Local School Wellness Policy Page [9]
• School Nutrition Association [10]
• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention: School Health Index [11]
• Parent's Action for Children [12]
• Center for Science in the Public Interest [13]
• Baum Forum [14]

• School Wellness Communication Guide [15]

Roshin Mathew is an Emerson Hunger Fellow working with Connect for Kids this year. She'll be interviewing more Girl Scouts about health, wellness and schools over the next few weeks.

Angela and Lauren

Angela and Lauren

(view Lauren's questions below [16])

Lauren, age 16, from Ansonia, Connecticut, is a sophomore at Sacred Heart Academy, a parochial school. Lauren is said to be active both at her school and with her Girl Scout troop. The leadership from Senior Troop 347 says that she "really embodies healthy living."

CFK: Do you think your school could benefit by being asked to come up with its own wellness policy? Why?

L: Health-wise, my school would definitely benefit from coming up with a wellness policy, because then the choices for food that the students would make would be all healthy which, in turn, encourages more healthy eating outside of school. Having a wellness policy would not benefit my school by the fact that these unhealthy food they are selling, really bring in a lot of money, so in order to have the healthy foods, they would most likely rise the prices of the foods significantly to bring in the same amount of money.

CFK: How can schools engage students more to get their ideas about getting the students to eat well and exercise more?

L: Well, a good idea for elementary schools might be to have the health teachers give them a lesson about healthy foods and the food pyramid, and with that information the kids could come up with healthy food plans and exercise plans for a contest to win prizes. From experience, I know that lots of elementary school kids love contests and winning prizes. For high school students and even middle school students, the schools may want to start a club or an organization that talks about health issues as a broad topic, and then as a club activity, the students could come up with a plan for their school to have healthier foods and exercises.

CFK: What kinds of meals are healthy and tasty? What kinds of meals are healthy, but gross tasting?

L: Ha! Ha! Well that varies from one person to the next, but I would definitely say that fruits are quite tasty. They are sugary, flavorful, and come in all different colors, which is quite attractive. Vegetables are tasty as well, especially if they are cooked and given some seasoning, for example Mrs. Dash. As for gross tasting healthy foods, I personally cannot come up with any, but I've been researching and for a lot of younger children to teenagers, what turns them off to food is the color, especially brown. Also, friends are a big influence.

CFK: How can schools make lessons about reading nutritional labels and recommended calorie intake interesting?

L: One time in middle school, my health teacher found two people who go around schools and talk about reading food labels and looking at the ingredients of what you buy. To make this interesting, they took two popular peanut butters, JIF and Skippy and showed what made those peanuts butters. What it turned out to be was pretty gross, and made me personally buy organic peanut butter, which I now like a lot better. Although it was a simple demonstration, it had all the kids captivated and grossed out. I remember coming out of the assembly and everyone around me just kept saying they never knew how gross manufactured peanut butter was. So I definitely think demonstrations such as that would help out, I know it did for me!

CFK: Do you think your school has a responsibility to you and your classmates to ensure that you eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, and learn about leading a healthy life? Why?

L: I think my school has somewhat of a responsibility to ensure my health, because I do "live" there for around 7 hours a day, which is more than half of my day. During that half, we learn a whole lot, but we hardly get any exercise, except for the stairs in between classes. For my school, it is required to take two half year gym classes, one in freshman year and one either in junior or senior year. Those gym classes are actually helpful because we go on the track or we can work out in the weight room, which gives girls an opportunity to experience and make a work out plan for when they either join a gym or work out at home. We also discuss healthy eating and what is right for "you." The only problem with this is our schools food plan which includes scrumptious cookies and treats at break (the 15 minute period in between first and second periods). Not to say that our food is all unhealthy, we do have the healthy side of the cafe, which includes sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, salads, and milk, which usually gets sold out easily. Our school could use a little work on the health issue, but it does try and it is successful because, well the health foods go quicker than the unhealthy foods, so that might say something.

CFK: What have the Girl Scouts taught you about those topics?

L: All the way from Daisies, there have always been one or more patches dealing with health and fitness. I remember learning about the food pyramid and trying fun healthy snacks for completing one of the patches either in Daisies or Brownies. Nowadays, there are UFO's (Utterly Fun Opportunities), some in which girls are offered health classes, and health days. I usually don't take the classes dealing with healthy ways of eating, because usually I am more interested in the physical aspect, like Yoga, Kickboxing, and Tai Chi classes.

CFK: During the school day, your school already regulates what you can wear, what you can learn, where you can go, etc. How much can the schools regulate what you eat? Is it effective to ban unhealthy food options? Why or why not?

L: If schools decide to go with the health and wellness plan, then they should give a lot of choices for health foods and meals, because if they limit the health foods to only a few choices, it becomes less appealing to the kids buying. Again it will be effective health-wise to ban unhealthy foods, but money-wise, it will be a big struggle.

CFK: Do you think kids who have fewer financial resources have more barriers to accessing healthy foods and physical activities? Is it always a matter of choice that children lead unhealthy lifestyles? Why or why not?

L: I think that kids who have fewer financial resources really don't have more barriers to healthy food access because for one, fruit and vegetables are very inexpensive. The unhealthy snacks are the ones with the more expensive prices. As for the physical aspect, if kids really need to exercise, they can go to a park play baseball, or even just running around with their friends. I do think it is a choice that children lead unhealthy lifestyles, but on the other hand, if they are younger children, they are just starting to learn about healthy foods, so whatever their parents buy is what they are to eat, and if those foods being bought are unhealthy, then the kids will be eating unhealthy foods. As kids get older, and learn more about unhealthy foods, they can then start making choices and start to help correct and make the food choices in their household better for everyone.

CFK: Do you think your school would lose money by not selling popular low nutritious items like soda, candy, and fried foods? Is a ban worth it, if kids can just go out and buy junk food when they leave school?

L: Oh yes! As I said before, my school benefits from the girls in my school who buy all the soda and junk food, but also they benefit from the healthy foods they provide as well. I think a ban would be worth the sacrifice of money, because although money makes the world go around, it really isn't important to the inner-self of a person. That inner-self includes health, wellness, and balance. Our society wants everyone to become and find their "true selves" but that is very hard when there is money influencing most of our decisions. A ban of unhealthy snacks would be another step to help better our society and influencing the right choices.

Leah and Sara

Leah and Sara

(view Sara's questions below [17])

Sara is a junior at Southern New Jersey Academy of Performing Arts (SNJAPA) in Deptford, N.J. where she dances and takes part in Girl Scouts of the USA activities. Her council is planning to introduce some new Healthy Living activities later this year.

CFK: So this is what the wellness policy mandate is:

The federally mandated Local School Wellness Policy gives schools an opportunity to create a healthy school environment for students to learn in. The legislation requires the development of the local policies by all school districts with federally-funded school meal programs (most schools offer federally-funded meals). Each district is charged with forming a committee, drafting a wellness policy, and implementing the policy by the start of the 2006-2007 school year. Policies are to include:

1. Goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness.
2. Nutrition guidelines for all foods available on campus during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.
3. Assurance that guidelines for school meals provided under the federal reimbursement program will, at a minimum, meet regulations and guidance issues by the Secretary of Agriculture.
4. A plan for measuring the impact and implementation of the policy.
5. Involvement from parents, students, and representatives of the school authority, school board, school administrators, and the public, in development of the policy.

Do you think your school could benefit by being asked to come up with its own wellness policy? Why?

S: Yes. I think our school can benefit by coming up with its own wellness policy. The number of obese students in my school as well as in America is growing rapidly. For the most part, I would say my school serves healthy food. If there was more healthy food being served, I think more students would eat healthy.

CFK: How can schools engage students more to get their ideas about getting the students to eat well How can they better teach to improve their eating habits?

S: Schools should place ballots in the cafeteria. Students can select the food they would prefer to eat. One way to make kids enjoy learning about healthy eating would be to keep track of everything they eat for a week. At the end of the week the teacher will help students tally the number of calories, vitamins, etc in all the food they ate. The students can then try to eat healthier the next week.

CFK: Do you think your school has a responsibility to you and your classmates to ensure that you eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, and learn about leading a healthy life? Why?

S: I think your school shares the responsibility with your parents to teach healthy habits. Between health class and P.E. all students learn healthy habits. It is then put in the parent's hands to enforce these healthy habits.

CFK: What have the Girl Scouts taught you about those topics?

S: In Girl Scouts, you can learn about these topics when you earn a select group of badges or attend special workshops.

CFK: During the school day, your school already regulates what you can wear, what you can learn, where you can go, etc. How much can the schools regulate what you eat? Is it effective to ban unhealthy food options? Why or why not?

S: Schools should not be allowed to ban unhealthy food altogether. They can't limit what a student eats for lunch, but school staff can urge students to purchase healthier lunches

CFK: Do you think your school would lose money by not selling popular but non-nutritious items like soda, candy, and fried foods? Is a ban worth it, if kids can just go out and buy junk food when they leave school?

S: I don't think school would loose money by banning unhealthy foods. All kids need to eat and they will always find something they like.

CFK: How would you feel if your school district banned the sale of Girl Scout cookies on campus because some might say that they are junk food?

S: It would not bother me because not that many girls sell Girl Scout cookies through school.

Lauren and Megan

Lauren and Megan

Lauren, 10th grade, and Megan, 9th grade, are students at Lexington High School in Colombia, South Carolina. They are active participants in the Congaree Area Girl Scout Council. In 2004, they each participated in a council-wide service project called "Passport to Fitness," which addressed the issue of childhood obesity. I interviewed them by e-mail.

CFK: What are your thoughts on childhood obesity?

L&M: It is a big problem, and teens need to learn more about it.

CFK: Tell me about school lunch.

L&M: It's gross. The healthy things they offer us taste bad. The thing they sell the most are fries. That's what most people eat. A lot of kids don't eat (because the food is so poor in quality). Every now and then, we don't even eat. We just eat a good breakfast and come home and eat after school.

CFK: What kinds of meals are healthy and tasty?

L&M: Healthy and tasty have a balance of good fats and carbohydrates. Maybe baked chicken, fish. Lots of green veggies (that are fresh!) Sometimes the quality of our fresh food isn't that great.

CFK: What do you think schools need to teach students about nutrition and physical activity?

L&M: That the decisions they make today will influence their lives later. That they wouldn't feel so tired all the time if they'd get rest and exercise. Our Passport to Fitness (a Girl Scouts of America program) theme was "It's all about balance." We'd like to see kids learn that anything in excess is bad.

CFK: How can schools make those lessons fun and interesting for students?

L&M: Make them feel like they're making their own decisions. Kids want to be in control of their choices. Reward them for good choices.

CFK: What would make a great physical activity at school?

L&M: Maybe have a couple of field days each year and award prizes to people who participate. Have a contest for the greatest number of footsteps in a week.

CFK: Do you think your school has a responsibility to you and your classmates to ensure that you eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, and learn about leading a healthy life? Why?

L&M: Yes, they do. Our parents teach us to do those things, but some parents don't, especially as kids get older.

CFK: What have the Girl Scouts of America program taught you about those topics?

L&M: Our Passport to Fitness project helped me realize that there are many ways to exercise and stay fit, not just the traditional ones. You can make good food choices more easily than I thought, too.

CFK: During the school day, your school already regulates what you can wear, what you can learn, where you can go, etc. How much can the schools regulate what you eat? Is it effective to ban unhealthy food options? Why or why not?

L&M: I think the school can offer healthy options, but not regulate what kids eat. If they don't like the choices, they just won't eat! It's better to have them buy into the whole idea of trying to eat better.

CFK: How have students responded to food regulations in the past?

L&M: They hate it. It's awful. People are so upset. The school is going to lose a lot of money. A lot of kids are not going to eat next year.

CFK: You mentioned that some of your classmates are really upset about the changes in food options. What does your school need to do to help your classmates feel positive about these changes?

L&M: Maybe not make the changes so drastic and so quick. The changes were made over the summer and nobody really asked us what we thought. I think it would be cool to offer tokens for good food choices and the kids could maybe redeem them for time out of class or as a homework pass.

CFK: How would you feel if your school district banned the sale of Girl Scout cookies on campus because some might say that they are junk food? Would the Girl Scouts of America try to sell something healthier?

L&M: I don't think we could sell something else because that is what we are known for. They are trying to make them reduced fat. If we got rid of cookies, that would kill Girl Scouts.