Untitled 1 Healthy School Food Maryland
 

School Food Forum: Creating a Vision of Fresh, Real Food in Montgomery County Public Schools

View Forum online (thank you to Takoma Park TV ):
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

On November 2, 2013, HSFM, in partnership with Montgomery Victory Gardens, presented a forum on school food in Montgomery County. The event was very well-attended with over 150 participants, including many County Council Members, State Delegates and one State Senator, plus representatives from many other legislative offices.

The keynote speaker, Tony Geraci, made famous in the documentary Cafeteria Man, outlined the many ways in which he engages students in developing food for the school cafeterias, from "no thank you bites" to an agricultural apprenticeship program. A portion of the produce in his Memphis cafeterias comes from farms that he and students construct using hoop houses and imported organic compost. Geraci also explained how he uses technology to save money and give parents control over their children's purchases in the lunch room. 
Tony's Geraci's Power Point

Other speakers addressed school gardens and agricultural education programs in MCPS, unsafe additives in food, and the causes of obesity and diabetes. Kathy Lawrence of School Food FOCUS addressed national efforts to change school food through procurement policy changes to promote farm-to-school and their efforts to add less-processed foods, including antibiotic-free chicken, to USDA commodity lists. Marla Caplon, Director of Food and Nutrition Services for MCPS, spoke on the past, present and future of MCPS food. County Councilmembers George Leventhal and Valerie Ervin also spoke about their efforts and aspirations on the topic of school nutrition. Lindsey Parsons, Co-Director of HSFM, delivered the final Call to Action to close out the forum.

Media coverage of the forum

School Food Forum Discusses Recipe of Change - The Gazette - 11/6/13

School lunchrooms: Students may buy Cheetos, but some argue for healthier foods - Washington Post - 10/30/13


Forum Program - Información sobre el foro en español

   

Lindsey Parsons and Lisa Lefferts at forum Lindsey Parsons, Co-Director, HSFM & Lisa Lefferts, Senior Scientist, Center for Science in the Public Interest

forum audience The Forum Audience

forum speakers Kathy Lawrence, Director of Strategic Development, School Food FOCUS, Jill Coutts, Science Resource & Horticulture Teacher, Sherwood High School, Gordon Clark, Project Director, Montgomery Victory Gardens & Karla Kratovil, PTA VP & School Garden Coordinator, Flower Hill Elementary School

 
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