This morning there was a bright spark of hope in the paper. And it was all about the importance of good food.
Kim Severson writes a wonderful article, "Eating Writing and 'Rithmetic: Harlem Pupils Meet Swiss Chard" about a school in Harlem, aptly named Promise Academy, where the cafeteria has not only been transformed into a laboratory of healthy eating, but also a monthly farmers' market.
Although much of the focus of these kinds of programs (and the articles about them) is combating obesity (according to Severson, 44% of the children at this school are "overweight"), there are little suggestive hints that this kind of program is also beneficial because it connects children to food so that they understand where it comes from.
Now we're getting somewhere. Health isn't just reduced-fat cookies and green vegetables; it's having an understanding of where it all comes from and how it's made...
I thought this was truly inspiring. Especially the kid who said yuk, chard, and now has her father buying it.
i loved this article, too. geoffrey canada is my personal hero.
This was happy news!! What you eat nourishes the brain, which then is in control of everything else!! When my children were small, I volunteered at a nearby Headstart center and I saw children absolutely bloom like roses when they were given those good meals. They prepared many vegetables and salads to go along with meat, and the children, some of them, seemed to wake up. The center's cook, who was a chef any way you look at it, taught me to make the best things, one of which is good cornbread. She taught me why mine was so lame!! I keep giving away iron skillets for presents, with a good cornbread recipe!!Cheers!