Batavia schools aim for healthier kids
"I don't like sweet potatoes," said Aaron Moore, a kindergartner at Alice Gustafson School. "They don't look good. They're brownish."
Aaron's mom, Amy, had served the familiar vegetable at dinner the night before. She had even laced it with a bit of brown sugar and butter.
It didn't matter. In Aaron's eyes, the glorified orange spud was a dud.
Teaching children about good health is an important part of education. Now the Batavia schools are going a step further by incorporating healthy eating in the lunch room. The district has adopted the Hops (Healthier Options for Public School Children) program and curriculum in all of the elementary schools
The HOPS program emphasizes good nutrition based on the food pyramid. Behind the curriculum is Dr. Danielle Hollar, director of research for the Agatston Research Foundation, a nonprofit research foundation with the mission to improve the heart health of our nation.
Healthy eating and more exercise are at the forefront of the Agatston research.
With childhood obesity on the rise, you can see why the district is making an effort to improve the health of our kids.
The statistics from the Illinois Association of School Boards are alarming.
• "Among fourth-grade students, those having the lowest amount of protein in their diet had the lowest achievements scores." (School Board Food Service Research Review)
• "Children who suffer from poor nutrition during the brain's most formative years score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension and arithmetic and general knowledge" (Scientific American, 1996)
• "Average math scores were lower for children with iron deficiencies." (Pediatrics 2001)
According to the HOPS study, 17 percent of American children are overweight. Increasing numbers are dealing with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes.
Healthy living can be a part of the school day but it really needs to be incorporated into the family's lifestyle, as well.
In an effort to help young and old alike, the Batavia High School is sponsoring a Healthy Living Expo from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the high school, 1200 W. Wilson.
There will be exhibits on health and wellness, including booths dealing with good nutrition, exercise, stress management, and health screenings. There will be blood pressure checks, BMI analysis and other important tests for the benefit of you and your family.
Hollar will be coming to the Expo to make a presentation at 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. She'll talk about the importance of healthy eating and who knows, maybe she'll be able to convince kids that sweet potatoes are good to eat even without a blanket of marshmallows to gag them down.
Most moms want their children to eat healthy and try to restrict their kids' sugar input.
"As their mom, I know how hard that is," Amy said. "I'd have a hard time giving it up completely."
One of the programs that the Hops curriculum promotes is the emphasis on school-based projects such as growing vegetable and fruit gardens. The students can learn songs like "Dirt Made My Lunch" and then the enjoy the bounty from the school garden.
That just might work for kids like Aaron Moore. When asked what his favorite vegetable was he responded squash, butternut, to be exact.
"I think he liked it because he picked it himself at a farm," Amy said.
Ultimately, the success of any change in lifestyle requires the commitment of the parents. Plan now to attend the Batavia High School Healthy Living Expo. You and you family can attend fitness classes, enjoy samples of healthy snacks and even have a chance to win some great prizes.
And maybe, just maybe, that poor, misunderstood sweet potato will find some young converts.
Healthy Living Expo
When: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21
Where: Batavia High School, 1200 W. Wilson, Batavia
Open: To all