HISD’s central-production food services facility was the site of a Town Hall Meeting on September 2 where participants envisioned a Houston that is the nation’s leader in health and wellness. The meeting attracted nearly 70 attendees including members of the HISD community – teachers, parents, administrators, nurses and a few students – as well as representatives from the city and broader community, including the Mayor’s office, Parks and Recreation, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas School of Public Health, USDA and over a dozen food and restaurant businesses.

A primary goal of the event was to increase awareness of the Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools (www.healthykidshealthyschools.org) wellness efforts and to encourage Houston’s restaurant and business community to become more deeply involved in the initiative. Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools is a private-public partnership of HISD, National Dairy Council, DairyMAX and over 25 partners such as the Texans, Houston Wellness Association, City of Houston, Can Do Houston! and others.

“What sets Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools apart from other school wellness initiatives is the ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ approach to organizational change,” said Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, MS, RD, Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools Co-chair and an expert in school change models. “This approach identifies and builds on the strengths of a system in a directed manner. Our intention with this Town Hall Meeting was to use the Appreciative Inquiry approach to bring the whole system together to explore different ways the community can lend support to HISD’s efforts to create healthier options for its student body.”

At the Town Hall, Dr. Nancy Murray of the University of Texas School of Public Health facilitated a mini Appreciative Inquiry session where participants envisioned the year 2015, a time when student wellness is everyone’s priority.

Building on the strengths of the whole community, the Houston of 2015 would have great-tasting foods that kids need more of – fruits, dairy, vegetables and whole grains – readily available in food outlets students pass by on the way home from school. Restaurants would invite kids and families to make the healthiest choices, such as drinking milk with dinner, eating vegetables, ordering fruit for dessert. Food stores and restaurants would promote healthy choices to kids through contests and incentives. There would be community-based events and rewards for making healthy choices. Kids would see healthy role models at home, at school and throughout the community. Co-ops would be formed to create and maintain green spaces and community gardens. Companies and organizations would adopt local neighborhoods and sponsor activities that promote healthier choices among the residents.

The Town Hall meeting grew out of the efforts of a team of Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools volunteers working to engage the community in student wellness. Hundreds of volunteers representing HISD, families, community, health, government and business have contributed to prototype projects as part of the initiative, which was launched at the Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools Summit in February 2009.

At the Town Hall, attendees were treated to a dinner catered by the HISD Food Services facility. Healthy items (all available as school lunch options) such as whole wheat pasta mac and cheese, 100% ground beef meatloaf, roasted chicken and mixed veggies. After the Town Hall, dozens of participants toured the new Food Services facility to see how the school food offered to HISD students is created and dispersed.

Opening panelists at the Town Hall Meeting included (left to right) Nicole Hare, DHSc, MS, City of Houston Wellness Director; Brian Giles, General Manager, HISD Food Services/Aramark; Janine Smiley, Director of Industry Communications, Dairy Farmers of America; Gus Angelo, Manager, HISD Test Kitchen.

Town Hall attendees enjoy a healthy pre-meeting dinner
hosted by HISD’s central-production food services facility