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Thursday, May 10, 2012

Fruit, Fiber, and Recommendations for Healthier Schoolkids - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Fruit, Fiber, and Recommendations for Healthier Schoolkids - Politics K-12 - Education Week:


Fruit, Fiber, and Recommendations for Healthier Schoolkids

From guest blogger Nirvi Shah:
When the Healthy Schools Campaign and Trust for America's Health presented a set of recommendations to Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday, they may not have expected to hear a tale about dancing vegetables.
The groups are pushing for changes, noting the connection between student achievement and students who are healthy, well-fed, well-rested, and attend schools without fear of being bullied or injured.
Sebelius recounted the Obama administration's efforts to improving children's health, mentioning expansion of the Children's Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act, which also expanded health insurance coverage for children, including those with preexisting medical conditions and provided grant money to build andexpand school-based health centers.
Duncan—who supports the groups' efforts in general—told a story about visiting his daughter's elementary school and watching a musical production that—surprise—was about eating healthfully. (His daughter was what