WELL Campaign focuses attention on healthy school lunch The WELL Campaign, an advo- cacy effort to improve student health and well-being in New York, partnered with Assemblymember Michael Bene- detto and the American Heart Associ- ation to host a ‘School Wellness Policy Lunch & Learn.’ Senator Shelley Mayer and Bene- detto gave opening remarks. Senators John Liu, Alessandra Biaggi, and Jen Metzger along with assemblymembers Felix Ortiz, John Salka, Al Taylor, Donna Lupardo, Karines Reyes, Victor Pichardo, Michael DenDekker, Walter Mosley, Nader Sayegh, Marianne But- tenschon, and Kimberly Jean-Pierre were also in attendance. The packed event included a panel discussion that focused on the importance of school wellness policy featuring: • Alicia Evans, MAOL, Roches- ter City School District parent and Healthy Schools Project coordinator, Common Ground Health • Amany Messieha Dgheim, MD, Wellness coordinator, New York State PTA, member of Suffern Central School District Board of Education • Clifford Bird, MS, principal, (Above) Benedetto (l) joined the WELL Campaign, legislators and advocates for a ‘Lunch and Learn’ panel discussion about school wellness Abram Lansing Elementary School, policy. Photo courtesy of WELL Campaign Cohoes City School District • Kelly Moltzen, MPH, RD, program manager, Creating Healthy Schools Together, we can make a difference ative that our legislators take action are excited to continue our partner- and Communities Bronx Health for our students and ensure that our to improve school wellness policy in ship with Assemblymember Michael REACH, Institute for Family Health schools can implement this important New York. (The) event featured great R. Benedetto and the WELL Campaign • Pamela Koch, EdD, RD, executive policy,” said Benedetto. conversation and engagement about in making the health and well-being of director, Laurie M. Tisch Center for “Communities across New York what we can do to move our state for- all New York school students a prior- Food, Education and Policy, Research State have different needs, but one ward and advocate for our students. ity.” Associate Professor Program in Nutri- thing is clear -- we all want our stu- The WELL Campaign is excited to “As a New York parent advocate, I tion, Teachers College Columbia Uni- dents to thrive. They are counting on keep pushing for comprehensive solu- am excited to see school wellness re- versity us to give them the tools and resources tions to bring school wellness in New ceive the attention it deserves. All “As the Trump administration to succeed in and out of the classroom. York.” children and youth must get the sup- looks to weaken standards impacting Instituting a state policy on school “In light of the fact that healthier port they need to live healthy and suc- students’ health, we need to do more wellness, and making sure districts students are better learners, it is im- ceed. I look forward to continuing to here in New York to advocate for our have support to bring their wellness perative that New York State place work with the WELL Campaign and students’ well-being. I am excited to policies to life, is an important step in greater emphasis on implementing Assemblymember Benedetto in the work with the WELL Campaign and the right direction,” said Evans. policies and practices that create ed- fi ght for ALL students’ well-being,” its partners to learn more about school Koch said, “We are at a crucial ucational environments promoting said Dgheim. wellness policy issues and solutions. point for our students and it is imper- healthy lifestyles,” said Moltzen. “We “Given that schools play such a critical role in helping kids learn and practice healthy nutrition and physi- cal activity habits, and the correla- tion between a healthy school environ- ment and children’s overall health, it makes sense that New York does all it can to strengthen and improve school wellness policies for all districts state- wide,” said Caitlin O’Brien, Govern- ment Relations director for the Amer- ican Heart Association. “The AHA looks forward to seeing stronger nutri- tion standards for school meals, and more frequent, quality physical activ- ity and physical education.” Initiated by leaders at the Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy, Teachers College Columbia University, the WELL Campaign is urging legislators to create a New York state model wellness policy that can be shared with schools; invest $10 million to support target districts with well- ness policy implementation; and cre- ate an online hub to centralize district wellness policies and reports. More information can be found at (Above) Attendees listen to a speaker at the WELL Camapign meeting. Photo courtesy of WELL Campaign https://www.wellcampaign.org/. BTR BRONX TIMES REPORTER, APRIL 5-11, 2019 49 .