Adam's School emphasizes the importance of breakfast

[December 27, 2017] 

LINCOLN

The mornings were darkish and turned chilly late one October morning as kids arrived for school. But this morning was special and exciting for Adams Elementary School children.



They were joined by dad's, uncle's or grandpa's, as would be available to share breakfast time.



The "Donuts with Dad" breakfast was a grant funded event held on Tuesday, October 24th from 7:45 - 8:00 a.m.



Food Service Director for District 27 Schools, Connie Crawley, cheerfully greeted students and instructed each to hang their coat, leave their book bag and then come eat with their guest. She reminded the children to follow their Go, Slow and Whoa Food choices that they have been learning about.



Posters for the food groups adorn the cafeteria walls.

Good breakfast choices include wholesome foods such as fresh fruit, and on this special occasion Crawley said they might choose a donut after some fruit.

Later Crawley explained, "We received a Breakfast Grant to increase participation and to educate families on the importance of breakfast.



Along the cafeteria tables, wall posters remind students what foods are best to eat and what should be eaten least often.

"Our goal is for each student to eat a healthy breakfast everyday. Statistics show eating a healthy breakfast helps students with their math and reading skills. Every student that eats at school is given a main entree, fruit, 100% juice, and milk daily."

District 27 Schools participate in several health and physical education programs offered through Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital's Community Health Collaborative (CHC). The Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) program is designed to help children understand the importance of nutrition and exercise. Angie Whiteman serves as the CHC's specialist for CATCH.


Here, during a Relay for Life held at Adam's School last May, Whiteman plays a familiar spin the wheel game she plays with students to inspire fitness and good nutritional choices.

Whiteman regularly goes into schools to work with kids, teachers and staff. The nation-wide program includes a catch-phrase 'Go, Slow, Whoa' to help kids (and adults) choose foods most healthy for them.

Go Foods are good to eat almost anytime, such as skim and low-fat milk.
Slow Foods are sometimes foods that shouldn't be eaten every day, such as waffles and pancakes.
Whoa Foods are the least healthy and the most likely to cause weight problems if eaten all the time. They are once-in-a-while foods, such as French fries.

In the classroom, Whiteman often provides fruits and veggies for taste testings, and sometimes even helps teachers with lesson plans from the CATCH curriculum. Bruce Broccoli and Stella Strawberry also make visits to the schools.

The 'Whoa, Slow, Go Foods' define the new classification system of the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; part of the National Institutes of Health.



This color coded billboard located on the Logan County Fairgrounds illustrates the 'Go, Slow, Whoa Foods' montra used by the CATCH program to teach kids what foods to eat more often.

[Jan Youngquist]

References and how to keep your family eating healthy:

Chart of Go, Slow, and Whoa foods https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/ educational/wecan/downloads/go-slow-whoa.pdf

Healthy choices for your family for eating in or out https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/ wecan/downloads/tip_choices.pdf