School earns national honor for healthy offerings
BY JORGE BARRIENTOS Californian staff writer
Every day at Hort Elementary, students eat fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain foods and three days a week are treated with a salad bar.
In class they discuss nutrition and fitness, and after meals and at PE they walk the track. Each week the campus hosts a farmers market where students can sample foods. They’re encouraged to continue those healthy living habits outside of school.
Related Photos
Hort Elementary first-grader Priscilla Moreno loads up her box lunch Wednesday during lunch period. Hort recently received health-oriented accolades for its lunch program.
Matt Constantine, Kern County director of the Kern County Public Health Department, right, and Avtar Nijjer-Sidhu, Kern County Environmental Health senior health educator, center, help Hort Elementary students by serving lunch Wednesday in the lunch line. Jacob Macias, left, reaches for a portion of his lunch.
Hort Elementary first-graders Kane Nolen, left, and Priscilla Moreno have a good time during lunch period Wednesday at school.
For the school-wide efforts, Hort has been awarded the national U.S. Department of Agriculture “gold medal of distinction” in the Healthy Challenge Program. It’s one of only seven California public schools to be awarded the top honor this year.
Bakersfield City School District officials now are seeing how they can replicate Hort’s program at the other 39 BCSD campuses, said Brenda Robinson, director of food services for BCSD.
That will take time because the initiative requires more staffing, equipment and new contracts with suppliers, for example.
“Hort Elementary School is among the very best — going above and beyond the minimum requirements to help ensure your students live full and active lives,” First Lady Michelle Obama wrote in a letter to the school.
The program is part of Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign that recognizes schools creating healthier environments through promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. The “gold award of distinction” award comes with a $2,000 prize, a plaque signed by a USDA official, a banner to display, and the school name listed on the program website.
On Wednesday, cafeteria staff prepared lunchtime meals for 650 hungry students. At one time, 200 students will stroll through the line in just about 10 minutes, and munch healthy foods in the cafeteria.
Kern County Department of Public Health Director Matt Constantine was there to see first-hand what makes Hort special, and serve students lunch. Hort’s program is important for Kern County, a place that ranks second in the state in diabetes and first in heart disease, he said.
A school is a perfect spot to teach students about healthy living, he said, and start making a change in the rankings.
“We don’t want to be leading in those categories,” Constantine said. “This one small school is making a difference.”
And school officials said students are enjoying the program — participating in exercise activities and having more eating options. Some have started calling the fruit “nature’s candy,” cafeteria workers said.
Hort was chosen to host the pilot program for the district. BCSD officials hope to implement the menu changes, salad bars and curriculum districtwide, but the first goal is to get more fruits and vegetables offered at all campus, Robinson said.
Schools throughout the area have instituted measures to make meals healthier and curriculum more active. Recently, local school districts particated in the School Chef Showdown, a cooking competition with the goal to make the tastiest nutritious school meal.
Next Wednesday, state and elected officials and federal program representatives will visit Hort and officially present the school with the award.
Most CommentedMost Popular
We need an outside agency to investigate the attempted rescue of logger Bill Bennett, who died Sept. 23, 2011 in the mountains south of Tehachapi after being hit by a falling tree.
Rinna Johnson, 35, majored in liberal studies in college, got a master's degree in education and is about to receive her teaching credential. She's not exactly your stereotypical food stamp recipient.
In an attempt to address Kern County's alarmingly high rates of sexually transmitted disease and teen births, a new health initiative will let local teenagers order condoms online and receive the free shipment in the mail.
Petra Villanueva lives in Arvin and just like a good deal of its residents, she speaks mostly Spanish. A stay-at-home mom, Villanueva has become a well-known figure at school board meetings where board members cringe when she gets up to speak on issues important to the community.
UPDATED, 8:51 p.m.: Here are team scores after Day 1: Clovis 184.5 Bakersfield 152.5 Lemoore 100 Madera 96.5 Buchanan 93.5 Clovis West 91 Frontier 86 Madera South 80.5 Porterville 72 Sanger 66 Foothill 65.5 Edison 60.5 Central 51.5 Centennial 51 Bullard, Clovis East 50 And, finally, tomorrow morning's semifinal matchups: 106: (1) Miguel Martinez, Madera, vs. (5) Julian Gaytan, Clovis; (2) Adrian Camposano, Central, vs. (3) Matt Gamble, Monache 113: (1) Mason Pengilly, Porterville, vs. (5) Seth Hood, Monache; (2) Jonas Gaytan, Clovis, vs. (6) Jason Delacruz, Buchanan 120: (1) Daniel Gaytan, Clovis, vs. (5) Matthew Ontiveros, Central; (2) Brandon Rodriguez, Clovis West, vs. (6) Oscar Marin, Bakersfield 126: (1) Vicente Hernandez, Clovis, vs. (4) Izaiah Ozuna, Frontier; (2) Michael Knoblauch, Clovis West, vs. (3) Bryce Martin, Bakersfield 132: (1) Patrick Phaysamone, Clovis East, vs. (4) Martin Sandoval, Porterville; (2) Micah Cruz, Bakersfield, vs. (3) Matt Gay, Clovis 138: (1) Natrelle Demison, Bakersfield, vs. (4) Jason Ladd, Clovis; (3) Racelis Cardenas, Buchanan, vs. (7) Jose Hernandez, Madera South 145: (1) Maxx Ramirez, Bakersfield, vs. (4) Tyler Hartsfield, Liberty; (2) Oscar Corona, Foothill, vs. (3) Osamuyimen Osunde, Lemoore 152: (1) Isiah Martinez, Lemoore, vs. (4) Colby Thompson, Clovis; (2) Coleman Hammond, Bakersfield, vs. (3) Kyle Perreault, Clovis East 160: (1) Adrian Salas, Clovis, vs. Sebastian Suikowsky, Hoover; (6) A.J.
Rinna Johnson, 35, majored in liberal studies in college, got a master's degree in education and is about to receive her teaching credential.
UPDATED, 3:58 p.m.: The rest of the medal-round results, including a fourth meeting in 11 days between Frontier's John Popek and Centennial's Carson Crawford, this one with third place at heavyweight on the line.
Modesto-based Save Mart Supermarkets has acquired East Hills Mall from the lender that foreclosed on it late last year, according to county property records.