WELL Campaign focuses attention on healthy school lunch
12
2019 The WELL Campaign, an advocacy
7,April effort to improve student
health and well-being in New
York, partnered with Assemblymember
EEKLY Michael Benedetto
and the American Heart Association
to host a ‘School Wellness
Policy Lunch & Learn.’
W Senator Shelley Mayer and
BRONX Benedetto gave opening remarks.
Senators John Liu, Alessandra
Biaggi, and Jen Metzger along
with assemblymembers Felix Ortiz,
John Salka, Al Taylor, Donna
Lupardo, Karines Reyes, Victor
Pichardo, Michael DenDekker,
Walter Mosley, Nader Sayegh,
Marianne Buttenschon, and Kimberly
Jean-Pierre were also in
attendance. The packed event included
a panel discussion that focused
on the importance of school
wellness policy featuring:
• Alicia Evans, MAOL, Rochester
City School District parent
and Healthy Schools Project coordinator,
Common Ground Health
• Amany Messieha Dgheim,
MD, Wellness coordinator, New
York State PTA, member of Suffern
Central School District
com Board of Education
• Clifford Bird, MS, principal,
BXTimes. Abram Lansing Elementary
School, Cohoes City School District
• Kelly Moltzen, MPH, RD, program
www.manager, Creating Healthy
Schools and Communities Bronx
Health REACH, Institute for Family
Health
• Pamela Koch, EdD, RD, executive
director, Laurie M. Tisch
Center for Food, Education and
Policy, Research Associate Professor
Program in Nutrition,
Teachers College Columbia University
“As the Trump administration
org/. (Above) Benedetto (l) joined the WELL Campaign, legislators and advocates for a ‘Lunch and Learn’ panel discussion about school wellness policy.
Photo courtesy of WELL Campaign
looks to weaken standards
impacting students’ health, we
need to do more here in New
York to advocate for our students’
well-being. I am excited to work
with the WELL Campaign and
its partners to learn more about
school wellness policy issues and
solutions. Together, we can make
a difference for our students and
ensure that our schools can implement
this important policy,”
said Benedetto.
“Communities across New
York State have different needs,
but one thing is clear -- we all want
our students to thrive. They are
counting on us to give them the
tools and resources to succeed in
and out of the classroom. Instituting
a state policy on school wellness,
and making sure districts
have support to bring their wellness
policies to life, is an important
step in the right direction,”
said Evans.
Koch said, “We are at a crucial
point for our students and it is imperative
that our legislators take
action to improve school wellness
policy in New York. (The) event
featured great conversation and
engagement about what we can
do to move our state forward and
advocate for our students. The
WELL Campaign is excited to
keep pushing for comprehensive
solutions to bring school wellness
in New York.”
“In light of the fact that healthier
students are better learners, it
is imperative that New York State
place greater emphasis on implementing
policies and practices
that create educational environments
promoting healthy lifestyles,”
said Moltzen. “We are excited
to continue our partnership
with Assemblymember Michael
R. Benedetto and the WELL Campaign
in making the health and
well-being of all New York school
students a priority.”
“As a New York parent advocate,
I am excited to see school
wellness receive the attention it
deserves. All children and youth
must get the support they need to
live healthy and succeed. I look
forward to continuing to work
with the WELL Campaign and
Assemblymember Benedetto in
the fi ght for ALL students’ wellbeing,”
said Dgheim.
“Given that schools play such
a critical role in helping kids
learn and practice healthy nutrition
and physical activity habits,
and the correlation between a
healthy school environment and
children’s overall health, it makes
sense that New York does all it
can to strengthen and improve
school wellness policies for all
districts state-wide,” said Caitlin
O’Brien, Government Relations
director for the American Heart
Association. “The AHA looks forward
to seeing stronger nutrition
standards for school meals, and
more frequent, quality physical
activity and physical education.”
Initiated by leaders at the Laurie
M. Tisch Center for Food, Education
& Policy, Teachers College
Columbia University, the WELL
Campaign is urging legislators
to create a New York state
model wellness policy that can
be shared with schools; invest
$10 million to support target
districts with wellness policy
implementation; and create an
online hub to centralize district
wellness policies and reports.
More information can be
found at https://www.wellcampaign.
(Above) Attendees listen to a speaker at the WELL Camapign meeting. Photo courtesy of WELL Campaign
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