Category: Uncategorized

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

Written by: Abby de Riel

Welcome to WITS FIT BITS: short movement breaks that WITS Coaches lead throughout the school day to students in classrooms. Physical activity breaks during academic time are proven to help activate the brain, improve on-task behavior, and strengthen students’ ability to focus. From Be an Animal, where students demonstrate their creative animal movements, to Stretch and Move, where they safely explore their range of motion, we have been teaching these fun movement breaks for over a decade. 

Senior WITS Coach Kit Greenberg has now taught WITS FIT BITS for two school years to students from grades K–5. “I am so grateful to work alongside a passionate and dedicated team of WITS Coaches, spending the year teaching new WITS FIT BITS, playing new games, and emphasizing all aspects of physical and mental wellness,” Kit shared.

Below, she shares her students’ fan-favorite movement breaks and encourages readers of all ages to modify as needed and try them at home with family and friends! 

WITS FIT BIT: Four Corners 

Group Activity

Objective: Empower students to lead their peers through fun, strength-building exercises that promote resilience and teamwork. This game is a favorite among our students because it combines movement, imagination, and the chance to lead or play roles, turning exercise into a fun, active game. 

Preparation: Push chairs in and clear space around desks, or any other objects in the room to have enough walking space. WITS Coach (or selected leader) leads a 60-second warm-up with light cardio and stretching. Label the four corners of the room as A, B, C, and D. 

How to Play: 

1. Explain the rules to everyone. The WITS Coach/leader shares, “We’re going to play Four Corners! When I say go, you’ll have 10 seconds to quietly walk to a corner — A, B, C, or D. Once you’re there, you must stay put.” 
2. One student will come to the front with their eyes closed and count down from 10. Then, they’ll call out a corner (A, B, C, or D), and name an exercise (like squats, jumping jacks, or lunges). 
3. Everyone in the selected corner must complete the exercise, led by the student who called it out. Students in the other corners can choose to join in if they’d like! 
4. Repeat with new student leaders for each round.

WITS FIT BIT: Starfish Breathing

Solo or Group Activity 

Objective: Help students calm their minds and bodies through focused breathing and gentle movement. This activity is especially impactful for students because it gives them a simple, hands-on tool to manage big feelings, anytime, anywhere. 

Preparation: Students are seated comfortably at desks or standing with space to move their arms. Ask students to hold up one hand like a starfish — fingers spread wide. 

How to Play: 

1. Set the scene. The WITS Coach/leader shares, “We’re going to practice Starfish Breathing: a way to slow down, relax, and reset. You’ll use your hand like a map and your finger like a pencil.” 
2. Breathing sequence: Hold up one hand with fingers spread like a starfish. Use the pointer finger of your other hand to slowly trace the outline of your starfish hand. As you trace up a finger, breathe in through your nose. As you trace down the other side, breathe out through your mouth. Keep going finger by finger, breathing in going up and breathing out going down. Try to move slowly and match your breath to your tracing. Encourage students (or yourself) to close their eyes after a round if they feel comfortable, and trace their starfish in the air using imagination. 
3. Repeat 1–3 rounds, or as needed to calm down. 

 

Written by: Abby de Riel

The C.H.E.F. Challenge — Children’s Health through Education and Food — has taken root this summer in Arkansas and Tennessee. Developed by Healthy Flavors, a family farm and business in the two states, the C.H.E.F. Challenge is a Farm to School initiative that aims to connect communities, classrooms, and cafeterias across the mid-south by facilitating more scratch cooking in school cafeterias and kids’ engagement in locally sourced food. 

With a two-year grant from the United States Department of Agriculture that began in the fall of 2024, Healthy Flavors engaged Wellness in the Schools to bring our years of experience and expertise to advise on their programming in the Mid-South. This fall, the program will be implemented in Cabot, Little Rock, and North Little Rock school districts in Arkansas and Bradford, Milan, Trenton, and Weakley school districts in Tennessee, for a total of 17 schools. 

We hired two Chef Ambassadors to lead the work in schools on a daily basis. Chef April Alderson will represent schools in Arkansas, bringing to us her 20 years of experience in school food and extensive experience with child nutrition. Chef Cale Meador will represent the Tennessee schools, coming from Atlanta with experience in restaurants, catering, hospitality, and, more recently, culinary training and student education on healthy cooking. Both are passionate, talented chefs who are excited to dive into school kitchens and build communities.

We welcomed Chef Ambassadors April and Cale, along with Dan and Karen, to New York City this May for an on-the-ground, 8-day training experience. The chefs traveled to different NYC public schools to observe WITS Chefs in action: WITS Chef Teak Nam leading a recipe sampling of Lentil Bolognese at P.S. 191 in the Bronx, WITS Chef Lou Foy training school cooks in the kitchen and preparing a salad bar full of fresh ingredients and composed salads at P.S. 335 in Brooklyn, and WITS Lab Instructor Victoria Baluk making an Apple Citrus Pico de Gallo recipe in the classroom with kids at P.S. 166 in Manhattan. April and Cale tried their hand at teaching students how to hold a knife to cut apples and spoke with students in the cafeteria to hear their feedback on the new recipes being served. They observed our “secret sauce”   – WITS Chefs creating a unique, supportive relationship with their cooks in their kitchen, as no school environment is the same, but the training methodologies remain intact.

Now, the chefs are back in the mid-south implementing their learnings and taking root in their school communities. They have hit the ground running by meeting all of their schools, Principals, Innovation Directors, Teachers, and Cafeteria Managers, building the relationships and trust for the upcoming year. Chef Cale has met with several of the Child Nutrition Directors in his schools to develop a collaboration plan and start arranging freezer space for ingredients. Because many of his schools are open this summer, he is diving into recipe development, supporting the recipe data system, and providing kitchen staff with basic culinary skill training ahead of the new recipes and training. Chef April is working on recipe development and administrative support, and will commence culinary training once more of her schools open in advance of the first day of school. 

The team has newly completed their first round of recipe development at the Brightwater Institute of Arkansas, tailoring their recipes to elevate nutrition and local produce that can be featured in school meals. This season, the Healthy Flavors farm is producing a lot of butternut squash and purple hull peas, which provide the seed from which the recipes grow (pun intended). During this process, Karen shared, “The challenge is that a lot of current school food options are heat-and-serve and have ultra-processed foods inside of them. We want to use fresh ingredients from the farm that have more nutrients to benefit students’ health.”

The Chef Ambassadors have chosen four recipes to focus on for inclusion on lunch menus: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, Roasted Butternut, Pea Street Tacos, and Bulldog Caviar. These recipes are collaborations, mid-south style. The Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese recipe was made by a WITS Chef. Roasted Butternut is a WITS Lab recipe. Bulldog Caviar is a play on a Cowboy Caviar Salad recipe developed by WITS. Chefs April and Cale are now working with available produce and seasonings that can make these recipes their own. Chef Cale expressed his excitement, saying, “We’re putting butternut squash, grown on farms in Arkansas, into mac and cheese, something that kids will readily eat whenever they can!” 

Chef April has found the recipe development process equally exciting. She remarked, “The benefit of developing recipes at Brightwater is having students here to taste-test the new recipes this summer. In our first tasting of the Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, the kids wanted us to make it more savory. So, we added a few more spices to it.” Paprika, turmeric, garlic, onion, and black pepper are some of the flavor notes students will be able to taste on the lunch menu soon. 

Students in select schools in Arkansas and Tennessee will have the chance to taste ingredients and produce they may not have had before. With this Farm to School program, success with recipes in a handful of schools will support the local farms to increase their production of produce, growing both factors at the same time. Dan reflected, “A lot of the food, especially fresh ingredients that are grown in America, are grown in California or Florida because of the food system we have in place. The C.H.E.F. Challenge is an opportunity for farmers to understand they can play a role in this food system and that there is somewhere for their produce to grow — not just farmer’s markets, but schools. Though the transition will take some time and systemic change, particularly due to the effects of climate change and the pandemic on our supply chain, our local populations must be able to depend on food grown locally. We’re trying to show the way.”

Written by: Abby de Riel

This summer, we welcomed Vanessa Cruz to join our ScratchWorks collective as a full-time Program Manager. This new position will propel our work even further: ScratchWorks is now a collective of over 150 participants representing over 130 school districts nationally, all committed to learning and working together to cook more school meals from scratch. Joining us from over three years at the Whole Foods Market Foundation, Vanessa has learned and deeply supported ScratchWorks’ operations. We introduce you to Vanessa in a lightly edited interview below. Welcome, Vanessa! 

What brought you to ScratchWorks? 

I first got involved with ScratchWorks in 2023 while working at the Whole Foods Market Foundation, helping to support the Inaugural ScratchWorks Gathering in Austin. Over the last two years, I’ve watched ScratchWorks grow and reach a tipping point — one that needed someone fully dedicated to keep the momentum going. I’m incredibly grateful I was given the opportunity to step into that role. 

What I love most about ScratchWorks is the people. There’s a real sense of community here. My favorite part of the job is connecting folks who need each other to do the real work — feeding kids healthy meals every single day. 

Why are you so passionate about wellness and scratch cooking? What does “wellness” mean to you? 

I grew up in one of the most unhealthy cities in the United States, so I saw firsthand the consequences of poor nutrition on the body in my community and in my own family. This propelled me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Nutrition, then a Master’s in Public Health, and become a registered dietitian, so I could help communities and families like mine build healthier futures. For me, wellness means being in tune with your own health and having the freedom to make the best choices to support your wellbeing. 

With a Master’s in Public Health and a dietetic internship under your wing, what advice would you give to other students aspiring to go down this path? 

I am so relieved that I decided to do an MPH so that I could have a really well-rounded education to my very heavy science undergraduate degree. I would advise any aspiring dietitians to consider an array of Master’s programs beyond a Master’s of Science and all the fields of practice they can work in. 

What project are you most looking forward to with ScratchWorks? 

I’m especially excited about launching our new online community platform. It will give participants a space to stay connected beyond the in-person gatherings. A place where they can share ideas, lean on each other, and continue learning together. That ongoing support network is going to be a game-changer. 

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received from a ScratchWorks participant? 

One piece of advice that stuck with me came from a ScratchWorks participant who said, “It’s all about the kids.” It sounds simple, but keeping them at the center of work brings purpose and joy into everything I do. 

What is your favorite wellness practice? 

My favorite wellness practice is to go on long walks with an audiobook and my dog. 

What is your favorite meal or healthy snack to make (scratch-cooked)? 

My favorite meal to make from scratch is a childhood favorite of mine, arroz con pollo, which always brings back great memories of my aunt making sofrito from scratch. 

Written by: Nancy Easton

20 Years. It’s interesting how I remember those initial years so well — principals and parents and teachers by our side, encouraging us to advocate for salad bars and more fresh entrees on school lunch menus; more time for recess and play; and nutrition and fitness education in the classroom. We became the engine for change because we had a vision for something better for our kids. We were driven, we had a force behind us and we knew that school districts needed significant resources and support to be examples for health and well-being. We were going to change the world! 

It was so different then. We were learning in real time, implementing and developing programming all at once. I was an educator, a parent and a bit of a social justice advocate. I knew our children, all children, deserved better, and while I didn’t have a roadmap, I had a fire and lots of fellow parents and principals who wanted change. And, I knew food service directors and school personnel needed much more support and systemic change to see their goals come to life.

I was raising three young children who were growing up alongside Wellness in the Schools. I remember so vividly working all day at an elementary school, then spending hours in the playground with my kids, strategizing with other parents while our kids went up and down the slide 1,000 times, then finally working late into the evening once my kids were asleep to design our Wellness in the Schools programming. Good thing one of our most ardent and influential advocates was Chef Bill Telepan, and his restaurant hours mimicked our late-night, babies-in-bed hours.

Before we knew it, Michelle Obama was our First Lady and she was advocating for our very vision! Jamie Oliver was talking about school meals on U.S. television. Ann Cooper was making waves as the Renegade Lunch Lady. We had a platform. We were no longer the crazy moms, breastfeeding our babies on the playgrounds of NYC; we were suddenly on a mission that aligned with the First Lady of the United States of America! 

The remaining years are a blur. My kids were now 8, 5 and 2, and districts were knocking on our door. They wanted more scratch-cooked items on their menus, they wanted nutrition education, they wanted more movement in their schools, and more fitness education. We put our heads down, developed programming to meet the needs and the goals of our districts, and before we knew it, we were the experts — speaking on panels, leading efforts to advocate in Washington, D.C. for increased funding for the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. And we were beginning to see our hard work pay off with changes on school menus and movement on the recess yards.

I liken this period to raising my kids — all of a sudden, those long exhausting days turn into a blur of school and playdates and sports events and music lessons and suddenly they grow up and turn into these amazing, thriving young humans. It’s an emotional time for me. As Wellness in the Schools turns 20, I turn 60, and I watch my babies (all of them) turn into adults. I once again learn to become comfortable with the unknown. I am in some ways more uncertain than ever as to what the future brings for our space, as I am uncertain as to what each of my children will become and will contribute to this world.

As I reflect on 20 years of our success, there is absolutely zero question in my mind that we are here today because of the many people who believed in us, who pushed us to be the change agents for the better. There is so much truth to the statement that it takes a village. Our village was (and still is) just so incredibly bold and broad and diverse and committed. This note is a bit of a love letter to all of those who have inspired and supported us over the years. First, those early “crazy” moms and principals, then those early districts and donors who took a chance, and finally the team members and chefs and coaches who have worked for the organization over the 20 years – many of whom are still with us today. It is all of these relationships that define the beauty and the layers of who we are. So many of our donors and board members have been with us from the very beginning, believing in us even before we were sure we believed in ourselves. They continue to be our most ardent supporters, sharing our work in a ripple effect outward. I am truly so indebted to you all, and I won’t mention names here as I would be significantly beyond my allotted word count. There are so many of you, and you have taught me so much about the power of partnership and trust and belief.

We have a damn long way to go. While in many ways it feels like we are suddenly reversing so much progress, we have to hold on to the small victories. As one of our chefs recently shared on a group call — we cannot battle what is beyond our control, but we can help one school cook learn how to prepare a grab-and-go salad with leftover ingredients, and feel extremely proud of the work she is doing to feed children real food. And that is what matters. People talking to people, and people working together to make lasting change.