Page 9 - Priorities #34 2006-July

included food choices.
In addition to serving healthier food, Mr.
Agoston also offered a cooking class where the emphasis was on dishes that offer lots of taste with little preparation.
Other area schools are also waking up to the importance of developing sound nutritional habits early. The Palo Alto Unified School District recently considered a ban on junk food within school limits, and the East Palo Alto Charter School has a thriving school garden program. Castilleja, a private school for girls in Palo Alto has been offering a good-and- healthful menu for several years, and many other private schools are also on the bandwagon. And
the multi-faceted approach at the Priory, exposing kids to delicious, healthy food, while educating them about its importance and preparation, is surely among the most promising.
Interested in more? Below are some Internet resources used for this article.
[1] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood- obesity
[2] http://www.nih.gov/news. Search terms: WordonHealth/jun2002/childhoodobesity
[3] Food Politics by Marion Nestle, University of California Press 2002, pp. 175-176
[4] http://voice.paly.net/view_story.php?id=1534 [5] http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/ mercurynews/news/local/states/california/ peninsula/14633707.htm
Editor’s Note: Two articles researched and written by parent Karen Mathon for Priory Parent newsletter were used in the preparation of this article.
Recent information about obesity and childhood health provides the motivation to change school menus. Newly available fresh, local, organic produce makes it a practical option.
Fresh Fruit—Yum!
Middle School students got an extra helping of nutrition studies last year working with a professional who asked them to write down and evaluate what they ate, among other things. In the coming year, the topic is being integrated into science class for all three grades.
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