Students Meet with School Board on the Need for Healthy Snacks

By Jessica Harris
YES! Youth Staff 

On April 10, 2012 The CORE, a youth-led council that gives young people the opportunity to support nutrition and physical activity initiatives outlined in the Healthy Weight, Healthy Child Initiative’s The Blueprint for a Healthier Generation 2020, presented to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) Board of Education on the topic of healthy vending.

The CORE brought light to the lack of healthy vending machine options at schools in the district, noting that many of the snacks are filled with sugar and saturated fat. The group also made a point of telling the school board that youth need to frequently eat healthy foods and to do so healthy options need to be provided. Providing junk food in vending machines at school teaches students unhealthy food habits. If there is healthy vending at school, research has shown that performance increases because students get the vitamins and minerals needed for healthy brain function.

The CORE gave some suggestions of healthier options to include in vending machines such as 100 percent fruit and vegetable juice, trail mix, pretzels and more. They suggested the district phase out cookies, chips, soda and other unhealthy foods for healthier options.

The board members expressed appreciation for youth involvement in the issue. The audience also seemed to be pleased with the idea of healthier vending options for students.

The CORE will be working closely with the School Health Advisory Council to draft and submit a comprehensive policy on healthy vending in the school system. The CORE will make sure that the community understands the importance of this policy and its impact on students, teachers, parents and staff.

Youth Empowered Solutions (YES!) has played a vital role with the CORE by providing training on real food and active living and youth advocacy. YES! also helped the CORE research, prepare and practice for their CMS board presentation.

Awesome job to the CORE!