Vanessa – Wellness in the Schools

If there’s a Will, can there be a Way for all Schools?

Written by: Alexina Cather

This school year, we have been partnering with the Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC), a public charter school in Chicago, alongside Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary to highlight an innovative FDA pilot program that Wellness in the Schools has helped implement. The visit underscored what’s possible when policy, practice, and partnership align around a shared goal: improving the health of our children.

At AGC, this work is not theoretical. It’s visible in every aspect of the school environment, from the ingredients in the kitchen to the training and empowerment of the staff preparing meals each day, and in the classroom curricula. Together with AGC’s Culinary Director, Stacey Whitney, we saw firsthand how a commitment to scratch-cooking can transform not only what’s on students’ plates, but how school communities think about food. What stands out most is that this level of change is happening within the same broader policy framework that governs school meals nationwide, raising an important question: if it’s possible here, why isn’t it the norm?

Current federal standards for school meals, shaped in part by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, set important baselines for nutrition, but they fall short in addressing the role of ultra-processed foods. While guidelines emphasize nutrients—calories, sodium, whole grains—they often overlook how food is made. As a result, highly processed items can still meet compliance requirements, even when they do not reflect the kind of fresh, whole-food-based meals that support long-term health. This disconnect leaves schools navigating a system where meeting guidelines does not always align with the spirit of nourishing children.

Across the country, this gap is evident. School meals remain heavily reliant on ultra-processed products because they are cost-effective, widely available, and compatible with existing infrastructure. But these short-term efficiencies come with long-term consequences, shaping students’ preferences and health outcomes in ways that are difficult to undo.

At AGC, a different model is in action. By prioritizing whole ingredients and scratch-cooking, the school has reduced its dependence on ultra-processed items while maintaining a program that is both efficient and replicable, not to mention delicious and nutritious. This is not about perfection, but about demonstrating that the constraints schools face are not insurmountable when the right investments and supports are in place.

One of the clearest lessons from this partnership and visit is that policy alone cannot drive transformation without corresponding investment. Transitioning to scratch-cooking requires more than updated standards; it demands funding for kitchen infrastructure, time for staff training, and ongoing technical assistance, which support that WITS has helped provide through hands-on training funded by an FDA grant. At AGC, the capacity of the kitchen team is a direct result of intentional investment in skills and systems. This is where cross-sector partnerships play a critical role, bridging the gap between what policy requires and what implementation demands. Without that bridge, even well-intentioned policies risk falling short of meaningful impact.

Having FDA leadership on the ground at AGC reinforced the importance of connecting federal decision-making with real-world practice. Too often, policy is developed at a distance from the environments it seeks to influence, but seeing a program like AGC in action offers a more complete picture of what is working and where barriers remain. It highlights the need for policy to evolve beyond nutrient-based metrics and toward a more holistic approach that includes food quality, processing, and the conditions necessary for schools to cook from scratch.

AGC continues to lead by example, demonstrating that investing in school kitchens is an investment in student health, academic success, and long-term well-being. The challenge ahead is not proving that this model works, but ensuring that more schools have the resources and policy support needed to adopt it. That means aligning federal guidance with best practices on the ground, prioritizing funding for scratch-cooking infrastructure, and creating incentives that make fresh, minimally processed meals the standard rather than the exception. At Wellness in the Schools, we remain committed to advancing this work alongside our partners, wherever they may be along the scratch-cooking continuum. Because when policy and practice move together, we can create a school food system that truly supports the health of every child.

Read more about the partnership in the NY Post, NBC News Chicago, and Fox 32 News

Coaching with Intention & Connection

Written by: Wendy Siskin

Today marks a milestone for the Wellness in the Schools Coach for Kids program. Three years ago, in collaboration with Exos and the NYC Public School Office of School Wellness Programs, we expanded our reach to serve as an accredited resource, providing tailored professional development specifically designed for physical and health educators. In this expansion, we are now reaching over 200 NYC PE teachers, together serving approximately 100,000 children.

Complementing our in-school Coach for Kids Flagship model, these trainings bring NYC teachers together for two distinct offsite experiences: three borough-specific CoachCamp trainings for intimate collaboration, and one Annual Coach Summit for large-scale, city-wide professional development.

This initiative reaches beyond curriculum support; it invests in the educators themselves – equipping PE teachers/coaches with the tools to excel in their classrooms, competition fields, and playgrounds; empowering them as coaches and humans; and restoring the spark that drew them to this profession in the first place.

Our partnerships with both Exos and the NYC Public School Office of School Wellness Programs ensure comprehensive resources and professional credit that consistently deliver a thoughtful approach. It has garnered the attention of teachers across the city, prompting them to reserve their spot for the upcoming opportunity for the “sold-out” training events.

On the heels of just completing this year’s annual summit, we are left floating with excitement at how very powerful these events have become, and also realizing how much more we can accomplish together. It is incredible to gather 100 of the best PE teachers in NYC to teach and learn skills, to share common goals, to perfect their crafts, and to inspire each. The enthusiasm in the room was infectious. Whether it is a CoachCamp or the Annual Coach Summit, it is always a day full of pride, humility, teamwork, connection, and empowerment.

We look forward to growing this initiative to reach our markets nationwide.

Journey Down the Jersey Turnpike

Written by: Sadie Nipon

“Join us for an exciting day of entertainment, advocacy workshops, cooking demos, and inspiring talks that put YOU at the heart of food advocacy.”

That promise came to fruition this spring at the Fuel the Future Youth Community & School Food Summit, thanks in large part to the leaderships of Wellness in the Schools’ National Program Director, Marion Williams, who gathered students, partners, and ideas from across New Jersey.

At its core, the summit convened two youth groups with whom WITS has been deeply engaged and where Marion saw an opportunity for connection: Camden Youth Advisory Council (CYAC) and Newark’s Student Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC). From CYAC addressing school food quality, clean water access, and community wellness in Camden; to SNAC advocating for healthier, more equitable, and culturally relevant school meals in Newark, Marion saw an opportunity to create a space for shared learning, collaboration, and inspiration.

The result was a dynamic, high-energy day designed not just for students, but shaped by them. Set in the vibrant gardens of the Greater Newark Conservancy, the summit blended hands-on learning with movement and joy. Students rotated through workshops on cooking and knife skills, wrote letters to legislators advocating for change, and explored food systems in interactive sessions. Between workshops, they jumped into hip-hop dance and Double Dutch sessions.

And, of course, food was at the center. Inspired by a familiar reality to high school students, many who are transitioning to college. What do college students reach for when they need something quick and affordable? For many, the answer is ramen. WITS took a familiar staple that is high in sodium and turned it into something nutritious to support students in the classroom. WITS Chefs Shani and Nick created an interactive “silent snacking” ramen bar where students built their own bowls using fresh ingredients that were thoughtfully sourced by local purveyors. We sourced ingredients from both districts: partnering with The Common Market in Newark and Zone 7 in Camden. Starting with ramen noodles or brown rice, students layered in mushrooms, roasted vegetables, leafy greens, and proteins like beans or ground turkey, exploring combinations that were both nourishing and satisfying.

The goal was not just to feed students, it was to show them what is possible with fresh ingredients. One student shared, “The food was delicious, especially the mushrooms and bok choy. #loveveggies” Others highlighted the sense of connection and excitement: “I had a really good time–delicious food and really nice people.” One student even shared, “This event has been the most fun thing in my whole life.”

For Marion and the WITS team, this is the heart of the work, creating experiences that are not only educational, but foster community connection. By meeting students where they are, elevating their voices, and rethinking even the simplest foods, WITS is helping young people see themselves as leaders in shaping healthier communities.

With overwhelming enthusiasm from students and partners alike, Fuel the Future is already being envisioned as an annual event, one that will continue to grow, connect, and inspire.

Scaling Scratch Cooking: A District-Wide Transformation in Farmingdale

Written by: Alexina Cather

This year, Wellness in the Schools expanded our programming to the Farmingdale School District on Long Island, an important step in bringing scratch-cooked, nourishing school meals to more students across diverse school environments. What has unfolded since we began last December is a powerful example of what’s possible when culinary training, district leadership, and community engagement come together with a shared purpose.

A key part of that alignment has been the leadership of Alessandro Palumbo, Food Service Director, Farmingdale School District, whose vision for a healthier, more sustainable school food system has been instrumental from the start. His commitment to investing in staff training, embracing scratch-cooking, and creating space for innovation within district operations has allowed this partnership to take root and grow. Transformational change at the district level requires not only technical support, but also strong leadership to champion and sustain it, and in Farmingdale, that leadership has been critical to the success of the work underway.

This work has been led on the ground by WITS Chefs Rob and Adejah, whose hands-on approach has shaped both the culinary and training components of the program. Together, they have created original scratch-based recipes, developed training materials in both video and written formats, and worked directly with district staff to build confidence and consistency in scratch preparation and service.

From the outset, this work has been deeply hands-on. Our chefs have led professional development trainings for food service staff across all six schools in the district, focusing not just on recipes, but on building foundational skills in preparation, cooking, and plating. These trainings have been reinforced through both video and written materials, ensuring that knowledge is accessible, repeatable, and embedded into daily practice. The goal is not a one-time shift, but a sustainable transformation in how meals are prepared and served.

At the heart of this effort is the transition toward scratch cooking. Across the district, new recipes have been developed and tested, each designed to meet nutrition standards while prioritizing whole, minimally processed ingredients. From lentil chili and chicken tortilla soup to hummus, vinaigrettes, and house-made sauces, these dishes reflect a deliberate move away from reliance on pre-packaged items and toward meals that are both nourishing and flavorful. In one instance, nearly 80 gallons of lentil chili were prepared for sampling and service, an effort that reached well over a thousand students, the vast majority of whom responded positively. Moments like these underscore a key point: when given the opportunity, students are open to, and often enthusiastic about, healthier options.

This shift does not happen in isolation. Collaboration with district leadership has been essential, particularly in aligning menus with both operational realities and broader goals around nutrition and local sourcing. Working closely with school-based staff, Rob, Adejah, and the district team have helped shape monthly menus that incorporate seasonal and New York–based ingredients, reinforcing connections between schools and regional food systems.

Equally important has been direct engagement with students and the broader community. Through tastings, cooking club visits, and events like the Farmingdale High School Wellness Fair, this work extends beyond the cafeteria line. It creates opportunities for students to experience new foods, share feedback, and see themselves as participants in a larger conversation about health and food. These interactions are not peripheral—they are central to building a culture where healthier choices are understood, accepted, and sustained.

What stands out most in Farmingdale is not just the scale of the work, but its integration. Training, menu development, student engagement, and community outreach are not happening as separate initiatives; they are reinforcing one another. This kind of alignment is what allows change to take hold across an entire district rather than remaining isolated within individual schools.

At a time when many districts continue to face constraints around cost, staffing, and infrastructure, Farmingdale offers a clear example of progress within existing systems. It demonstrates that with the right support, schools can move meaningfully along the scratch-cooking continuum—improving the quality of meals without sacrificing efficiency or scalability.

The work is ongoing, and there is more to build. But the early momentum in Farmingdale reflects something larger: a growing recognition that how we feed students matters, and that meaningful change is possible when investment, training, and community come together. At Wellness in the Schools, we remain committed to supporting districts in this transition—because expanding access to fresh, minimally processed meals is not just a programmatic goal, but a necessary step toward improving the health and well-being of all students.

From CookCamp to Community Care

Written by: Sadie Nipon

When I sat down with Marion Williams, our National Program Director, she spoke to the necessary shift in work from professional development in school kitchens to emergency feeding, community connection, and showing up for families in a moment when they needed it most.

The work began more than three years ago as a part of the Healthy Food in Newark Schools Coalition (HiFNS). During an initial consulting year, WITS was brought in to run cook camps with school food teams, working directly with the school chefs who prepare nourishing meals for students every day. Those early training sessions were ambitious, full-day, seven-hour professional development sessions with more than 100 kitchen staff at a time.

“It was probably one of the first cook camps we ever did anywhere that had over 100 chefs at one time” Marion shared.

During those sessions, we got important feedback from chefs who were receiving fresh food from Common Market, a crucial partner in this work. The fresh produce arrived straight from farms in wooden crates, making it difficult to work with the food in that form without the necessary tools and time. We listened, and WITS began working closely with Common Market to ensure produce arrived in ways that kitchen teams could realistically use. Orders expanded from a few items, such as spinach and ground beef, to kale, blueberries, tomatoes, collards, and potatoes.

By the end of last year, however, circumstances began to shift. Food insecurity across our country and our community in Newark was becoming more visible and urgent. The district approached the coalition with a new question: how can we help support families and, therefore, our students more directly?

Through funding allocated for fresh purchases and in partnership with Fresh Roots, WITS began helping coordinate produce distributions across the Newark community. What sounds straightforward required months of coordination: securing permits, identifying sites, working with warehouses, and organizing pre-packed produce boxes for families, which were eventually coined the name “Fresh Roots Farm to Family Distribution.”

By October, distributions were happening twice a week at three locations across Newark. WITS chefs did not simply distribute food; they demonstrated recipes using what families were receiving in the produce boxes. Marion called these “food box recipes,” a recipe on one side and a pre-filled shopping list on the other, aligned with the contents of the box.

Seasonal recipes like apple crumble, carrot-ginger kale salad, and even a parsnip puree became a conversation starter. Families were trying new ingredients like Asian pears for the time.

“People were like, ‘Oh my gosh, we love that recipe. Have you tried the carrot-ginger kale salad?”

This is where we really saw the impact of our work. Families did not just grab a box and leave; they stayed to talk to one another about the previous week’s recipe or the contents of this week’s box. The word about these distributions spread, and each week more and more families showed up. Community organizers such as WIC and SNAP representatives also began to show up and educate families on available resources.

“It started to feel a lot less like a pickup and walk away, and more like a community,” Marion said.”

Another partnership with Urban Agriculture brought middle school students into the process. These students prepare produce for distribution boxes, and after learning about food waste, began working with WITS to upcycle imperfect fruits and vegetables into apple butter, pickles, and preserved foods. Those jars now go directly into the distribution boxes, showing how students are feeding the system back into the community.

Today, the cook camps and kitchen wellness training continue. Later this month, WITS will again train nearly 300 kitchen staff in a revised wellness camp format. Middle school students are even preparing chai spice sachets to give to kitchen teams through scent workshops.

The work in Newark looks different than it did a few years ago. But at its core, it remains rooted in WITS principles: centered on fresh and nourishing food, driven by education, and responsive to the needs of the community.

As Marion reflected,

“Teaching people, opening their minds to trying new things, and reducing waste – that’s what this has become.”

And in Newark, that has meant showing up for families in ways we never initially planned, but that matters more than ever.

Workout with WITS!

Written by: Kit Greenberg

This school year, we launched a new and improved fitness platform to give schools content for daily movement, anytime of the day. The platform, WITS Workouts, was launched in partnership with Exos, is a dynamic, easy-to-use movement resource that brings joyful, energizing activity into every classroom. Designed for teachers, administrators, and school communities nationwide, the WITS Workout platform provides a growing library of high-quality movement break videos that help students reset, refocus, and build healthy habits throughout the school day.

The platform offers a wide range of content, including Workout & Sports, Dance & Move, Yoga, and Mindfulness videos, curated specifically for students from Pre-K through High School. Videos range from quick 2-minute breathwork energy resets to 10-minute sessions that include warm-ups, skill-building exercises, and calming cool-downs. Educators can easily save their favorite videos, build routines, and integrate movement into transitions, brain breaks, or class culture.

Many sessions were recorded live over the last two years, giving students an authentic, upbeat experience with EXOS Coaches Eric, Kersten, and Mikayla. Additional videos, filmed in summer 2025, feature Coaches Jenna and Ryan, adding fresh energy and new formats to the library. We also have motivational messages led by superstar Division 1 athletes, and even National Champions, emphasizing the importance of movement throughout the school day!

To inspire consistent use, the WITS Workout platform is incentive-based. It includes a leaderboard that highlights the most engaged users, celebrating schools and educators who champion movement as part of the learning environment. The winning school, chosen in the Spring of 2026, will receive a WITS-hosted Family Fitness Fun Night for the entire school community!

We are piloting our platform in Staten Island, where it has already received over 220 total views and major accolades. “This has been a go-to resource for my K-2 indoor PE classes. The 10-minute movement breaks are perfect for limited space and keep my students engaged and active. The yoga videos are a great way to wind down class and support a smooth transition”, shared Tania Pabon, Health and Physical Education Wellness Liaison at PS 70 in the Bronx. We will continue expanding after user feedback and then through professional development sessions and CoachCamps in schools across the city this winter and spring. We are excited to grow this fabulous resource and ultimately bring it nationwide!

Rooted in the mission of Wellness in the Schools, the platform brings wellness, play, and community to life with tools that help every child move more, feel better, and thrive. Let’s make movement part of every day!

NYC Brings Our Bagel Fame to Chicago

Written by: Cait Olesky

Thanks to a federal grant, we have been fortunate this year to partner with the Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC), a very special school in southwest Chicago. This partnership brings us to Illinois for the first time, and what a way to start. The inquiry-based school model offers a completely holistic learning environment with nutrition and wellness at its core.

A step into the school building brings cheer and warmth. The learning (in both English and Spanish) is palpable, the creativity is abundant, and the joy is evident. The cafeteria and culinary team are central to the community. This was certainly a CookCamp where we were learning from each other, and it was the first time we had taught a baking series. The kitchen was well equipped with all the ingredients (pun intended) to replace the breads they used for breakfasts and sandwiches with homemade versions.

Our team got to work, with the challenge to bring the very best of NYC to Chicago. After several rounds of recipe testing for whole grain and vegan bread, bagels, and English muffins, Chefs Marion, Jason, and Cait headed to Chicago, ready and excited to work with their team. Over the course of two days, the very eager kitchen staff learned to scale, mix, proof and bake – the steps necessary to make whole grain Pullman loaves, mini bagels, and English muffins. The team was so engaged that by the end of day two, we decided to add some scratch-made pizzas to the mix.

Not only did the team learn to make new recipes, but they also had a crash course on using new equipment, such as a bread slicer, the scales to measure ingredients, and knife sharpening.

As with all of our CookCamp training, we culminated the CookCamp with a discussion on the Why of the Work, which proved to be very inspirational for all participants. Many of the AGC kitchen staff also have children at the school, and they are both personally and professionally excited to get to feed all of their children homemade breads.

WITS would like to thank the incredible team at ACG for giving us the opportunity to learn together and also to our friends at Rachael Ray for introducing us to such great work.

From Policy to the Plate: Where the Dietary Guidelines Fall Short for Kids

Written by: Alexina Cather

At Wellness in the Schools, we spend every day thinking about how to improve school meals across the country and how national policies show up on kids’ plates. That’s why the release of the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) feels like a meaningful moment, and also a missed opportunity.

For twenty years, we have long touted the importance of feeding kids real food; in fact, it’s our tagline. However, for the first time, the DGAs are also clearly encouraging Americans to eat real food and less highly processed food. That shift reflects years of research and advocacy, and it matters. Ultra-processed foods now make up nearly 70 percent of calories in the U.S. diet, and their overconsumption is linked to diet-related disease, especially among children. Acknowledging that reality at the federal level is an important step forward.

However, one of the most striking omissions in the new DGAs is the lack of a clear, accessible definition of what “ultra-processed” actually means. The DGAs tell us to reduce these foods without offering a shared framework that policymakers, schools, or families can realistically use. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are actively working toward a definition, but until that work is complete, there is a gap between what the Guidelines recommend and how people can take steps to follow their advice.

That gap has real consequences. Without an agreed-upon definition, it becomes difficult to measure consumption, align research, or consider meaningful standards for schools and other national feeding programs. Just as importantly, it leaves families and individuals confused rather than empowered. Telling people to eat less of nearly 70 percent of the food supply without giving them clear tools to identify those foods sets an unrealistic expectation. And when children are served ultra-processed foods at school, even as families work to limit them at home, it undermines broader efforts to improve health.

If the goal of the Dietary Guidelines is to improve population health, especially for kids, then clarity and education should be central, not optional. Instead, the current language places most of the responsibility on individuals, as if healthier choices are simply a matter of willpower or knowledge, without addressing the broader forces that shape what food is available, affordable, and marketed as normal.

There is very little in the DGAs that takes into account affordability and how our current food system and its subsidies, corporate practices, and economic inequities drive the overconsumption of ultra-processed foods. These products dominate shelf space, advertising, and price promotions not because families are choosing them freely, but because they are engineered to be cheap, convenient, and profitable, particularly in communities with fewer healthy options. A public health approach that doesn’t account for those realities falls short.

At Wellness in the Schools, we see both the opportunity and the challenge of this moment. Schools are a powerful lever for change, but they need clear guidance, training, sustained investment, and policies that align nutrition goals with operational realities. Asking schools and families to do more with less clarity and support is not a recipe for success.

Our work continues to focus on what we know makes a difference: real food, cooked with care, supported by policy that meets families and schools where they are. We’re grateful to be doing this work alongside educators, advocates, and communities who believe, as we do, that kids deserve better.

We recently shared these insights about the Dietary Guidelines in The Hill, ABC News/Good Morning America, and PIX 11.

ScratchWorks Builds a Digital Hub for School Food Leaders

Written by: Vanessa Cruz

In the summer of 2019, Wellness in the Schools gathered three other foundations and six school districts in NYC to build a collective of school food leaders to support each other in their scratch cooking efforts. Since then, ScratchWorks has been building a community of school food leaders from across the country who share a mission to prioritize scratch cooking in their cafeterias.

Now, ScratchWorks is taking that mission one step further.

ScratchWorks has launched a new digital platform called ScratchWorks Connect — a vibrant online space where members can connect, collaborate, and learn from each other in real time. This isn’t just another forum. It’s a community hub designed specifically for those leading change in school food— from food service directors and chefs to policy advocates and non-profit partners. Inside, participants will find discussion boards where they can ask questions, swap ideas, and celebrate wins. There’s a growing library of resources: recipes, toolkits, implementation guides, and case studies from school districts that are making scratch cooking work.

There’s also a member directory, helping users find peers with similar challenges or expertise. And with event listings, webinars, and community blogs, the platform offers ongoing inspiration and support— whether you’re just beginning your scratch-cooking journey or helping others get started.

As school food leaders know, this work isn’t easy. It requires navigating outdated infrastructure, procurement red tape, and labor shortages, all while feeding thousands of kids every day. But it’s also deeply rewarding. And now, thanks to this new digital space, ScratchWorks participants no longer have to go it alone. A school food service director from Arizona, Iris Tirado, said this about the platform “this is a game-changer. You can access the Directors from all over the nation from one spot. Those tough questions that you will have to research all over are now in one place. With a click, you will get tested recipes, equipment experience usage, ingredient questions, Policy questions, and anything that you need at your fingertips.”

With the launch of this platform, ScratchWorks participants have a place to gather not just every other year at a Gathering, but every day, from wherever they are. It’s a step toward scaling change, one conversation, one resource, and one relationship at a time.

Visit the new platform at: https://wits.connectedcommunity.org/home
Learn more about ScratchWorks: https://wearescratchworks.org

Our Coach for Kids Program Models Teamwork at Its Very Best

Written by: Wendy Siskin

After years of dedicated partnership and trust-building, a powerful new collaboration has emerged for the 2025-2026 school year. Wellness in the Schools (WITS), Exos, and NYC Public Schools have united to forge a new vision for student wellness, creating a seamless and sustainable ecosystem of support.

This trio combines the unique strengths of each partner: Exos brings its world-class coaching and performance expertise; WITS leverages its deep understanding of school environments and wellness education; and NYC Public Schools provides the critical access and reach to transform well-being across the city’s vast network.

With this new framework, the WITS Coach for Kids program will expand its impact to 119 additional schools, adding approximately 58,000 students and their families. This initiative focuses on three core objectives: enhanced student wellness, empowered educators and families, and sustained community engagement.

A key component of this partnership is a new, robust online community platform, designed by Wellness in the Schools with WITS and Exos coaches. This platform offers teachers and students accessible wellness resources, including daily fitness breaks, inspiration, and encourages participation through leaderboards and fun incentives.

In collaboration with NYC Public Schools, the initiative will also introduce two new 10-week wellness curricula for high school students and their families, designed to equip them with practical tools for lifelong health. Additionally, our Family Fitness Fun Nights will expand to 12 locations, and together, this power trio partnership will continue to bring CoachCamps and the Annual Coach Summit to every physical education teacher in New York City.

This powerful union is more than a partnership—it’s a movement to integrate wellness into the very fabric of the school experience for students, teachers, and families across the five boroughs.