Alabama will provide training for National School Lunch
Program managers on implementation of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
promoting the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC), and promoting USDA foods.
Training will be a three day culinary skills hands-on workshop based on the USDA
culinary techniques for healthy school meals targeted to 14 groups of 14
participants, approximately196 managers will be trained. For more information,
contact Mary Kay Meyer at mmeyer@alsde.edu.
The Alaska project will align the Alaska nutrition
standards with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and provide training on
implementation to National School Lunch Program food service staff. It will also
assist schools in reviewing, updating and sharing their school wellness
policies. The activities will include outreach and support for schools to
overcome barriers to success in the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) by
conducting training sessions that incorporate elements of the HUSSC. For more
information, contact Linda Coate at linda.coate@alaska.gov.
California will create five Healthy School Environment Institute Teams (HSEI) throughout the state to provide technical
assistance and support on the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC), USDA Foods , menu planning, Farm to School Initiatives, and
garden-enhanced nutrition education. Each HSEI team will enlist a school food service director as “ambassador” to pioneer healthy
school environment concepts. Two day trainings will be offered at five HSEI locations and technical assistance will be ongoing.
For more information, contact Deborah Beall at dbeall@cde.ca.gov.
Colorado’s activities consist of three main parts: Increase
schools’ knowledge of the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) as well as
provide additional support for districts that choose to apply for the HUSSC,
increase the use of nutrition education and physical activity programs
throughout the school environment, and provide 20 schools with mini-grants to
help improve the overall wellness of the student body. The goal is to have 25
schools submit HUSSC applications by March 2012, after having a minimum of 80
schools attend eight regional HUSSC trainings. For more information, contact
Lindsay Hucknall at hucknall_L@cde.state.co.us.
Idaho will focus on providing training and technical assistance to foodservice professionals to prepare and
serve nutritious meals consistent with the 2005 DGAs, HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) and Farm to School. Idaho will
increase the number of schools that meet the HUSSC criteria and apply for the award. Idaho will focus on marketing the HUSSC,
identifying 10 or more pilot schools to work as a team to meet the criteria and set monthly goals for schools. In addition,
a series of workshops will be provided to foodservice employees to help implement the DGAs. A Farm to School Steering Committee
will work together and provide support to schools and a Farm to School Conference will be held. For more information, contact
Heidi Martin at hcmartin@sde.idaho.gov.
Illinois will focus on three components: a HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) Webinar, HUSSC mini-grants,
and a Teacher’s eCourse. The HUSSC Webinar will encourage elementary and secondary schools to take the HUSSC challenge and will
market the HUSSC mini-grants initiative to assist 13 Illinois elementary and/or secondary schools to work toward meeting the
HUSSC criteria and submitting successful HUSSC applications. The Teacher’s eCourse initiative will empower K-12 teachers to
integrate into their classrooms fun and interactive nutrition education and/or physical activity for students. For more
information, contact Joan Love at jlove@isbe.net.
The goal of the Indiana 2010 Team Nutrition Grant is to improve the health of Indiana’s students by promoting
healthier school environments through mini-grants, training, and technical assistance offered to 20 schools to assist in taking the
HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC). Indiana will provide trainings for National School Lunch Program foodservice staff on
implementing the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, promoting the HUSSC, and promoting USDA foods, and provide schools with
technical assistance to create and maintain a healthier school environment as well as to implement their wellness policies that
address competitive foods, nutrition education, physical education, and physical activity.
Twenty schools will be selected to receive mini-grants to assist them in taking the HUSSC. For more information, contact
Beth Foland at efoland@doe.in.gov.
Iowa will develop and implement a statewide plan to train National School Lunch Program Foodservice staff on how
to plan and prepare meals that comply with the 2005 DGAs. They will encourage schools to take the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC). T
wo one-day HUSSC workshops will be held for 50 food service directors around the state that are interested in applying for a HUSSC award.
Mini-grants will be offered to workshop participants to assist with application efforts. In addition, Iowa will develop and implement
a statewide plan to provide fun and interactive nutrition education and/or physical activities for children, teachers and parents using
the MyPyramid messages. They will also develop and implement a plan to provide schools with technical assistance to create and maintain
healthier school environments. For more information, contact Patti Delger at patti.delger@iowa.gov.
Kansas will provide training for National School Lunch Program foodservice staff on implementing the 2005 DGAs and promoting the
HUSSC. They will develop and test two weeks of cycle lunch menus, provide training on the 2005 DGAs, provide technical support to assist schools
in applying for the HUSSC and publicize the HUSSC award winners. Kansas will also provide fun and interactive nutrition education and/or physical
activity for children, teachers and parents. In addition, they will provide technical assistance to schools to create and maintain a healthier
school environment. For more information, contact Allison Gilmore at agilmore@ksde.org.
Maine will provide at least five trainings per year to child nutrition staff to improve food production skills and
nutrition knowledge in order to implement the 2005 DGAs. Schools will be encouraged to take the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC).
Maine will also provide fun and interactive nutrition education and physical activity education for children, teachers, parents and
caregivers by providing Edible Education training and technical assistance to four school units and Food-N-Moves training and technical
assistance to 75 teachers and staff each year. In addition, technical assistance on HUSSC will be directed towards 10 schools each year
to ensure these schools receive awards. For more information, contact Gail Lombardi at gail.lombardi@maine.gov.
Maryland will facilitate the creation of ReFresh teams in 10 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Maryland. Each team will train
school foodservice staff to market and increase student selection of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the school meals program. Training
will be provided to school food service staff on the 2005 DGAs and promoting the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC). Mini-grants will be
given to ReFresh teams, these mini-grants will be used to assist schools in applying for the HUSSC. For more information, contact Stew Eidel
at seidel@msde.state.md.us.
Michigan will expand and enhance the training programs that incorporate the 2005 DGA and USDA foods in meals served under
child nutrition programs. They will provide two years of training to foodservice professionals participating in student-led Fuel Up to Play 60
grant program which will help them create a healthy school environment through implementation of Michigan’s Menus,
NFSMI’s Healthy Cuisine for Kids, and HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) applications. Four regional trainings will be conducted to instruct
foodservice professionals on how to create meals compliant with the Michigan Nutrition Standards and HUSSC criteria and assist them in
submitting HUSSC applications. Fuel Up to Play 60 grant teams will form student teams which will attend a Student Summit at Ford Field
and coordinate and execute two school-wide Fuel Up to Play 60 strategies: one Healthy Eating Strategy and one Physical Activity Strategy.
Lastly, a Healthier Schools social networking presence will be created on Facebook and/or YouTube to provide a communication platform for
the Michigan’s Let’s Move multi-partner collaborative group to connect with audiences in order to generate support. For more information,
contact Barbara Campbell at cambpellb@michigan.gov.
Mississippi will provide trainings for food service staff on implementing the 2005 DGAs, promoting HealthierUS Schools
Challenge (HUSSC), and USDA Foods. Schools will be encouraged to apply for the HUSSC. In addition, the grant will increase opportunities for
students to participate in structured education opportunities during the school day and it will emphasize school gardens. For more information,
contact Amy Olson at aolson@mde.k12.ms.us.
Montana will focus on training food service personnel on planning and serving healthy school meals that will meet the
criteria of the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC), or the Healthier Montana Menu Challenge (for breakfast). Montana’s goals include having
18 schools obtain a HUSSC award by the end of the grant through workshops and mini-grants. Other activities include increasing participation
in the breakfast program through a pilot project, marketing USDA Foods, and strengthening the state’s infrastructure for nutrition education
through the Montana Nutrition Education Advisory Committee. In addition, mini-grants will be offered to help schools implement school
wellness policies. A Farm to School fundraiser will be held and a five-year plan to increase awareness for School Nutrition Programs
will be developed. For more information, contact Katie Bark at kbark@mt.gov.
New Jersey will train foodservice managers and staff on the 2010 DGAs by providing three statewide/regional trainings.
Schools will be encouraged to take the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) and the goal is for 15 schools to submit applications by the
close of the grant. Pilot schools participating in the trainings must achieve a minimum of a bronze level award. New Jersey will increase
the availability of fruits and vegetables in the meal program through the promotion of school gardens and farm to school initiatives.
Three regional Farm to School trainings will be conducted for food service staff. In addition, fun and interactive nutrition education
and/or physical activity will be conducted for children, teachers, parents and other caregivers. For more information, contact Arleen
Ramos-Szatmary at arleen.ramos-szatmary@ag.state.nj.us.
Ohio will develop and conduct four HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) webinars to school nutrition foodservice professionals.
In addition, they will train a total of five chefs from different regions in Ohio to conduct trainings on the Healthy Cuisine for Kids. These
five chefs will then conduct 15 regional trainings for school nutrition professionals that complete the HUSSC webinar series. Ohio will provide
20 HealthierOhio School Challenge Mini-Grants to at-risk school districts to implement a year-long program. These schools must agree to work towards the
HUSSC bronze award, at a minimum, to receive the mini-grant funding. For more information, contact Susan Patton at susan.patton@ode.state.oh.us.
Pennsylvania will develop an awareness-building campaign consisting of key messages to encourage schools to explore the
HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) and participate in training
opportunities. Mini-grants will be provided to 25
schools to work on overcoming barriers to meeting the HUSSC. Pennsylvania will also conduct a HUSSC webinar series consisting of five
webinars designed to introduce the challenge, motivate schools to takes steps to meet the challenge and showcase Promising Practices
related to meeting the HUSSC criteria. For more information, contact Evelyn Arnold at earnold@pa.gov.
Four workshops on the 2005 DGAs and HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) menu criteria will be provided to School
Foodservice Directors. One hundred school foodservice directors will be trained by the end of this grant. Technical assistance will be provided
to schools to create and maintain a healthier school environment and to successfully apply to the HUSSC. For more information, contact Donna
Parsons at donna.parsons@k12.wa.us.
Wisconsin will focus on three components: trainings for teachers and schools staff on fun and interactive nutrition
education, a social marketing campaign to help build parent, school and community support for healthy school environments, and training
and technical assistance for food service staff on serving healthy foods and meeting the HealthierUS Schools Challenge (HUSSC) award
criteria. The goal is to have 25 districts participate in the training, encourage five schools to apply for the HUSSC award, and have
two schools recognized as HUSSC award winners. For more information, contact Jill Camber Davidson at
jill.camberdavidson@dpi.wi.gov.
