Advocates for Health in Action Helps Schools and PTAs Dig Into Healthier Options
Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) teams up with communities in Wake County and invites parents, educators, coaches and children to make healthy choices and seek out opportunities for change. The group has already hosted and planned a number of activities for 2012, including Brains and Bodies Workshops, Lunch In, and Dig In.
What’s On Your Plate?
Recently, the Town of Cary and AHA invited families to view What’s On Your Plate?, a kid-friendly documentary about food that is told through the eyes of two 11-year-old girls. Screenings for field trip groups and the general public were held as part of Fit Cary Month, and each featured a Q&A session with farming, gardening and health experts.
Brains and Bodies
AHA and Wake County PTA offer a series of Brains and Bodies workshops designed to provide parents, teachers and administrators with practical solutions and tools to meet an exceed local wellness policies. The March 2012 workshop focused on healthy fundraisers, concessions and school stores. AHA is in the process of planning the workshop series for the coming school year.
Lunch In
Local chefs battle for an Iron Carrot Award during Lunch In, a friendly competition that is gaining popularity in school cafeterias in Wake County. Using a secret ingredient, chefs get creative to win over the taste buds of student judges. Recent Lunch In events were hosted at Mills Park Elementary in Cary and Wake Forest Elementary. Wake Forest Mayor Vivian Jones even joined students at the judges’ table.
"Students had a great time, and the buzz around school is that it's the best event we've ever had," said Wake Forest Elementary PTA member Sondra Triblehorn, who helped coordinate a recent Lunch In at the school. Chef Greg Goldberg of Girasole Trattoria and Gatehouse Tavern won the votes of young fans for his recipe using Swiss chard, which was donated by Wake Forest Farmer’s Market. The event attracted large crowds of families, and it was featured in the North Raleigh News.
AHA designed Lunch In to raise awareness and engage the community as advocates for fresh, healthy school lunches. Since March 2011, four schools have hosted Lunch In events. AHA is working to create a toolkit that will provide schools with details on how they can host Lunch In at their school.
Dig In
AHA also organizes Dig In, an annual gardening event held at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh. The event includes sessions to help communities take a closer look at school and community gardens. Learn more with their library of Garden Resources & Recipes.