Oliver SM

Back to School 
 
September 2010
Volume 6   Issue 6 
In This Issue
Build Your Team
Healthy School Environment
Healthy Meals on the go
Resources
 
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The Oliver Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of childhood obesity.


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  Scheduled  Oliver Foundation Presentations
 
September 12-14, 2010
Southern Obesity Summit
Atlanta, GA
 
 
Quick Links...
Join Our Mailing List 
Funding Opportunities
 
Community Tool Box
  Out of the Box Prize
 
The 2010 Out of the Box Prize, sponsored by the Community Tool Box, will honor promising initiatives that improve community health, education, urban or rural development, poverty, the environment, social justice, or other related issues of importance to communities.  The grand prize will be $5,000 plus a free customized workstation designed specifically for your group.  Second prize will be $2,000 with a free workstation. 
 
DEADLINE: 
October 1, 2010
 
For additional details visit the Commnity Toolbox website.
Build your Oliver Kids Team
 
Adult Team 

To create a sustainable healthy environment at your campus it takes more than one person, a supportive team lightens the load and makes the process easier, ensuring sustainable success.  Your first step to create the team is identify the champions at your school.  Champions all have a few characteristics in common.

PASSIONATE LEADER - recognizes the problems of childhood obesity and has a personal interest in addressing the issue.
TEAM PLAYER - willing to take on a leadership role and wants the support of others.
ROLE MODEL - willing to make the same changes as school staff and students are being asked to make.
IDENTIFIES NEW RESOURCES - seeks out professional experts and resources at the school and community. 
 
 

Create the Oliver Kids Team � by using an existing committee or team such as:

         Campus Based Leadership Team (CBLT)

         Staff Wellness Committee

         Health Committee

Back to Healthy School Environments
 
Creating a healthy school environment can lead to the prevention of childhood obesity, better academic performance by students, fewer behavior problems in school and students ready to learn.  Now it can also lead to additional money for your campus.
 
Healthier US School Challenge (HUSSC) recognizes schools that are creating healthy school environments.  Four levels of performanca are awarded:  Bronze, Silver, Gold and Gold of Distinction.  Each level provides a monetary award - $550 for Bronze, $1,000 for Silver, $1,500 for Gold and $2000 for Gold of Distinction.
 
Schools must make changes on their campus in the following categories:
  • improve the quality of food
  • provide students with nutrition education
  • provide students with physical education and opportunities for physical activity
 The HUSSC is open to all schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program.  There are varying criteria for elementary, middle and high schools.
 
Get started by creating an Oliver Kids Team on your campus.  The team can then assess and complete the application to become a Team Nutrition campus and begin to create a healthy school environment.  You may apply for multiple campuses in your district but each school must complete a separate application.
 
For complete details, toolkit and application visit Healthier US School Challenge website.
Healthy Meals on the go!
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With the beginning of school more families will be eating on the go.  Between sports team practices, afterschool activities and clubs, you may find yourself eating more meals outside of your home than at the dinner table.
 
 
How to eat healthy meals on the go!
 
  1. Make a plan.  Just like you plan for every other phase in your life, make a plan for meals.  Look at your school activity calendar and decide each week where you will be eating.
  2. If you are eating at a fast food restaurant, look up their menu on-line.  Most restaurants provide nutritional information on their company website.  Print it out and keep it in your car.  There are also lots of pocket-size reference books with nutrional information for most restaurants in your area.  Buy one and keep it in the car.
  3. Keep a small cooler in your car packed with healthy snacks and drinks.  Keep it stocked for those occassions when you are driving the kids from practice or sports games.
  4. When ordering beverages, size does matter.  Water is your best choice, but if you are going to order a sugar-sweetened drink choose the small instead of the large size drink.
  5. Choose from the kid's menu.  Often times the kid's meal really is enough for both you or your child to eat.
  6. Stay away from fried foods, but if you do choose french fries - buy the small serving.  Or better yet, choose a fruit or vegetable instead.
 
For more ways to eat healthy on the go, check out this resource by the Oliver Foundation.
Additional Resources
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Looking for additional resources?  Something that you can use in a newsletter or as a handout in class?  Check out the website below.  The Nutrient Rich Food Coalition provides resources to help you learn how to:
 
Healthy Choices for Life
 
 
Nutrient rich foods give you the most vitamins, mineral and other nutrients for the fewest calories.  In their toolkit - Live Well - you'll find reproducible handouts for MyPyramid, Fitting in Fun Foods, How to Grocery Shop, Shopping Lists, Foods on the Go and How to Read the Nutrition Fact Label.
Have you created a Healthy School Environment in your district?  Send us an e-mail  and tell us all about it -  [email protected] .
 
You may be spotlighted in the next Oliver Foundation newsletter - T.E.A.M. Talk.
 
Sincerely,
 
Oliver Foundation