2020 EDUCATION MAGAZINE

2020 Education Magazine LINCOLN DAILY NEWS FEBRUARY 20, 2020 Page 11 The principle idea is to scratch-cook healthy, kid-friendly dishes that are free from preservatives and chemicals used in processed foods while introducing their palates to new flavors of nutrient dense foods. Even second graders recognize the long term benefits of starting healthy eating habits now, saying, “We can remember when we are older and get out of school, we can still eat healthy and be strong.” Healthy adults emerge from healthy children – that’s the premise of how ‘Lincoln 27 and Beyond’ came to be. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital Community Health Collaborative brought the CATCH program to the district in 2016 as part of a community mission to address high rates of obesity in the county. CATCH is a national program that has historically launched kids and communities toward healthier lifestyles. LESD 27 was a great fit for the program. In addition to reaching the majority of Logan County children, the district food service director and cafeteria staff were willing to take on the challenge to provide the best quality foods possible to the students. After all, it’s not an afternoon picnic to transform a community’s relationship with food or completely upend how a kitchen operates or run a program that Continued p