Students focus on healthy eating

BY CYMBRE FOSTER
Special to the Record-Eagle

November 27, 2007 09:36 am

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Amy White was looking for a way to change what kids ate at Glen Lake Community Schools without making the students feel forced to do it.

Superintendent Joan Groening suggested that White, a high school foods and nutrition teacher, ask a group of students to help come up with a way to encourage their peers to make better choices. With the support of high school Principal Kevin Kelly, White recruited 10 students. Their mission? Find ways to get their classmates to skip vending machine fare in favor of healthier options.

What evolved is an after-school café dubbed La Fresca, which opened the first week in November in the high school. Students can purchase minimally processed foods like wraps, smoothies and muffins, all made in the school kitchen by their classmates.

The high schoolers had to apply to be in White's class and they either excelled in White's food and nutrition class or belong to student group called Students for World Awareness, because this seemed like the kind of project that would fit the group's mission, said White.

"They have been part of an idea that has literally come to fruition," said White.

The students met regularly to discuss how to make changes literally palatable. They decided to include locally grown foods as part of their plan.

One of the first steps was to shop for produce at the farmer's market. They preserved applesauce, tomatoes, squash and pesto, came up with menus and designed the student café.

"They've learned how to preserve food and that food comes from a farm, not a grocery store shelf. They've also been looking at the nutritional impact of food and how to market that," said White.

The class also has learned about Health Department rules and regulations for food preparation.

"The whole process has been very valuable," she said.

Senior Abbie Christiansen said she's not only learned a lot about food, but about how to take what she's learned and make changes at a grassroots level.

"I've always been interested in healthy foods but I've also learned about the kinds of things we can do at our school to be part of the farm-to-school movement and getting healthier food into our school, which is a nice option to have after school," said the 18-year-old.

Ian Vertel, also a senior, said he is happy to be including local foods in the menu. He added he likes having the opportunity to be an integral part of the process.

"I was initially interested in the class when the availability and feasibility of focusing on local foods was part of it," said the 17-year-old. "I like the idea of providing local foods and expanding the access to them."

White said it is a privilege for students to be in the class.

"I'm really here as a facilitator," she said. "They're doing all the work."

The students meet for one hour two days a week. That's when they roll up hummus wraps, whip up smoothies with fresh fruit and protein powder, simmer homemade soups and bake muffins. They are beginning to dovetail with school food service as well by selling leftover salads from lunch, said White.

"Our goal is that what we have available is healthy, has whole grains, a healthy protein and not much refined sugar," said White.

The food is sold at an a la carte window. White said students are gobbling it up.

"We've been busy," said White. "I believe that if you give a child the choice between a hummus wrap with lettuce and cheese and a highly refined carbohydrate that they're familiar with, they'll choose the one they know. But if that second choice isn't there, they will eat the wrap. We're slowly but surely getting packaged, processed food out of Glen Lake."

The café is located just outside the cafeteria in the high school wing. The students selected and ordered the tables and chairs for their culinary venue, which are on the way. They have designed the space as a place where their fellow students will want to "hang out" after school, said White.

Vertel, like the rest of White's group, said he is pleased to be making a difference in what his classmates are eating.

"We're improving the status quo by providing healthier choices and local foods," he said. "As this class evolves and unfolds, it is also giving us a degree of ownership and responsibility."

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