Month: September 2017

Parrot In The Oven

It was a normal day in the summer and Manuel (Manny), the main character, was living in a small neighborhood. The neighborhood was located in the U.S., near the Mexican Border during present day. He lived with his older brother, who for some reason couldnt keep any job, his mom, who just liked to clean the house all the time, a dad who liked to be at the bar and drink more than spend time with his family, and two younger sisters who just went with the flow. If I had to live in an environment like Manuel, I wouldn`t last as long as he does!

Manuel is a every good kid at school and home. He is also mentally strong. He is strong because he has to deal with his always drunk dad that yells a lot, bullies in the neighborhood that beat him up, and go through a normal school day, all in one day. Then even more, everyday for Manuel is different. Some days he went to school and had an awesome day, but other days, he came home to a dad that yelled at him for everything. Then when he has time to do things for himself, he chooses to work in a chili pepper field to earn his own spare cash for the awesome baseball mitt he wants. He is very hard working, and perseveres through each day to get to the next!  

 

 

 

The Power of School Lunches 

People put a lot of consideration into the schools their children will attend and the classes they will take, but do they put much thought into what they put into their mouths while they are there? School lunches greatly affect the school day. They affect how students feel and how they think. School lunches are known to help fuel the mind each day, support healthy habits, and provide energy throughout the day. Research has proven that it is harder to make it through the day on an empty stomach than a full stomach. There are many reasons why students should be eating lunch every day.  

One reason why you should eat lunch is that it fuels learning, according to studies. Nutritious meals can help with concentration. Some schools even make their students take one fruit and vegetable each day. They keep your brain active and help you focus on activities and instructions throughout the school day. “School lunches can boost students’ concentration, their focus during class activities, and cognitive function,” according to the Healthy Schools Campaign website. As said in the first paragraph, a vast amount of research shows that great nutrition in school can lead to an increased amount of focus and longer attention spans. Other people agree that the nutrition of school lunches also helps improve test scores and behavior. According to many experts, it is important to eat school lunches! 

A second reason to eat lunch is that this can lead to the support of healthy habits. For some kids, school lunch time is the only time they actually eat healthy food. The food should help create habits of eating healthy at home too.  

Kweko Power, 15, was a sophomore at Oakland High School in California. She said, “When students eat healthier and better food, they get more stamina because their body doesn’t have to work as hard to process what they’re eating.” Before she knew this, she used to not eat all her lunch because she wanted to talk. Then, the rest of the day didn’t run as smoothly as it could for her.  

Therefore, school lunch is one of the most important times of the school day. Students should steer toward the healthy foods during lunch to create these healthy habits. Students should think before they eat but should definitely not skip the opportunity to fuel their energy midday.  

So, food is just food, right? Wrong! Students need nutrient-rich foods in their lunches. They contain great things like minerals, vitamins and few calories. These types of foods are what should be in school lunches. Sugar, sodium, starches, and bad fats should only make a small percentage of the foods students eat. Students need to be getting nutritious foods in their body at lunch, especially during a long and hard school day. These vitamins, minerals and nutrient-rich foods nourish your body and keep you healthy. School lunches help students do just that since they are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They also provide appropriate portions and a good balance between the food groups.  

One group of foods that needs to be consumed each day is grains. They are low-fat, high in fiber, and have complex carbohydrates. When people eat grains, the fiber helps them feel full longer and not overeat. Some foods with grains in them are oats, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, school lunches now offer more whole grains than ever, because they are aligned with science based standards. Next, another food group that people should consume is fruits and vegetables. “Fruits and vegetables have little fat, and add nutrients and flavor to your diet,” said Family`s Diet Website.  Organic produce like carrots, squash, broccoli, apples, and blueberries are all nutrient-rich foods and are great to eat. The USDA recognizes the importance of fruits and vegetables because now school meals include double the amount of fruits and vegetables.  

While all these types of food are healthy, you still need to watch the number of calories you are getting with the foods too. The number of recommended calories is different for everyone. “The average adult male needs about 2,500 calories per day, and the average adult female needs about 2,000 calories each day, to keep their weight consistent,” said the USDA`s website. School lunch guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture also take all of this into consideration. 

It is important to eat enough nutrient-rich foods from all the food groups, but you should also watch the number of calories you take in each day. Eating healthy can guarantee a longer and healthier life. Choosing to eat food offered by schools during lunch can help you reach your goal of this! 

Fortunately, many schools are getting rid of soda and junk food by starting their own fruits and vegetable gardens. This was started in Massachusetts and is spreading all over the United States. You may be wondering, what does this even have to do with school lunches? 

At the start of the new school year, many schools such as Framingham High School, have started new gardens behind their schools. Brennon Ryan runs the food service department and had the idea to start the gardens to make their school lunches healthy, fresh, and without preservatives. “Everything that we grow in the garden is actually 100% used in the schools,” said Ryan. “That’s why we grow such late harvest crop plants.” One of the students there, a junior named Peter Jones, said, “Well, it’s like when you do it yourself, you see how long it actually takes for the food to grow, and it helps the students want to enjoy the food longer.” 

Their garden is as long as half a football field, and it’s one of the largest in the state. These foods produced in the gardens are used in their school lunches to make them very healthy. School gardens are popping up all over the U.S. This is a great way to make school lunches healthy, and it is what Michelle Obama was working toward. As you can see, the start of the school gardens has helped schools make their lunches healthy, save money on all of the food they would have had to buy, and makes a rewarding experience for students.  

In conclusion, students must first of all, eat school lunches! Those lunches should be nutritious and healthy. They are important because if students have a full stomach, they won`t feel hungry the whole day, and they will be able to think to their full potential. Now that Kweko Power has learned how eating lunch helps her throughout the day, she spends her time eating her lunch first, then talks! So, if you are currently a student, be sure to eat during your time that is supposed to be used to eat, and you will be on the track to healthy eating!   

 

Sources:  

http://healthyschoolscampaign.org/policy/food/ 

http://news.wgbh.org/2016/08/01/local-news/local-schools-growing-their-own-food 

http://familydoctor.org/changing-your-diet-choosing-nutrient-rich-foods/ 

http://www.healthline.com/health/lose-weight-calories#calories2 

The Power Of School Lunches 

People put a lot of consideration into the schools their children will attend and the classes they will take, but do they put much thought into what they put into their mouths while they are there? School lunches greatly affect the school day. They affect how students feel and how they think. School lunches fuel the mind each day, support healthy habits, and help provide energy throughout the day. Research has proven that it is harder to make it through the day on an empty stomach. Here are some reasons why you should be eating lunch every day.  

One reason why you should eat lunch is that it fuels learning, according to studies. Nutritious meals can help with concentration. Some schools even make their students take one fruit and vegetable each day. They keep your brain active and help you focus on activities and instructions throughout the school day. “School lunches can boost students’ concentration, their focus during class activities, and cognitive function,” according to the Healthy Schools Campaign website. As said in the first paragraph, a vast amount of research shows that great nutrition in school can lead to an increased amount of focus and longer attention spans. Other people agree that the nutrition of school lunches also help improve test scores and behavior. According to many experts, it is important to eat school lunches.  

A second reason to eat lunch is that this can lead to the support of healthy habits. For some kids, school lunch time is the only time they actually eat healthy food. The food should help create habits of eating healthy at home too.  

Therefore, school lunch is one of the most important things to happen during the school day. Students should steer toward the healthy foods during lunch to create these healthy habits. Students should think before they eat but should definitely not skip the opportunity to fuel their energy midday.  

So, food is just food, right? Wrong! Students need nutrient-rich foods in their lunches. They contain great things like minerals, vitamins and few calories. These types of foods are what should be in school lunches. Sugar, sodium, starches, and bad fats, should only make a small percentage of the foods students eat. Students need to be getting nutritious foods in their body at lunch, especially during a long and hard school day. These vitamins and minerals and nutrient-rich foods nourish your body and keep you healthy. School lunches help students do just that because they are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They also provide appropriate portions and a good balance between the food groups.  

One group of foods that needs to be consumed each day is grains. They are low-fat, high in fiber, and have complex carbohydrates. When people eat grains, the fiber helps them feel full longer and not overeat. Some foods with grains in them are oats, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, school lunches now offer more whole grains than ever, because they are aligned with science base standards. Another food group that people should consume is fruits and vegetables. “Fruits and vegetables have little fat, and add nutrients and flavor to your diet,” said Family`s Diet Website.  Organic produce like carrots, squash, broccoli, apples, and blueberries are all nutrient-rich foods and are great to eat. The USDA recognizes the importance of fruits and vegetables because now school meals include double the amount of fruits and vegetables.  

While all these types of food are healthy, you still need to watch the number of calories you are getting with the foods too. The number of recommended calories is different for everyone. “The average adult male needs about 2,500 calories per day, and the average adult female needs about 2,000 calories each day, to keep their weight consistent,” said the USDA`s website. School lunch guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture also take all of this into consideration. 

It is important to eat enough nutrient-rich foods from all the food groups, but you should also watch the number of calories you take in each day. Eating healthy can guarantee a longer and healthier life. Choosing to eat food from school lunch can help you reach your goal of this! 

Fortunately, many schools are getting rid of soda and junk food by starting their own fruits and vegetable gardens. This was started in Massachusetts and is spreading all over the United States. You may be wondering, what does this even have to do with school lunches? 

At the start of the new school year, many schools such as Framingham High School, have started new gardens behind their schools. Brennon Ryan runs the food service department and had the idea to start the gardens to make their school lunches healthy, fresh, and without preservatives. “Everything that we grow in the garden is actually 100% used in the schools,” said Ryan. “That’s why we grow such late harvest crop plants.” One of the students there, a junior named Peter Jones, said, “Well, it’s like when you do it yourself, you see how long it actually takes for the food to grow. This makes the students want to enjoy the food longer.” 

Their garden is as long as half a football field, and it’s one of the largest in the state. These foods produced in the gardens are used in their school lunches to make them very healthy. School gardens are popping up all over the U.S. This is a great way to make school lunches healthy, and it is what Michelle Obama was working toward.  

As you can see, the start of the school gardens has helped schools make their lunches healthy, save money on all of the food they would have had to buy, and this idea makes a rewarding experience for students.  

In conclusion, students must first of all, eat school lunches! Those lunches should be nutritious and healthy. They are important because if students have a full stomach, they won`t feel hungry the whole day, and they will be able to think to their full potential. So, if you are currently a student, be sure to eat during your time that is supposed to be used to eat, and you will be on the track to healthy eating!

During Mr. Horeing`s 1st Period Language Arts Class at Blackhawk Middle School on August 24, 2017, terrible news was announced. The other 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher, Mrs. Godrey broke open the movable wall to tell the horrible news to both 8th Grade classes. The new instructional coach at Blackhawk Middle School, Mrs. Oaks, came to tell Blackhawk students that they would start to wear school  uniforms. All around the classes, there were things said like, “WHAT?! SCHOOL UNIFORMS!”, and “Noo!, it’s the end of the world!” Then, Mrs.Oaks continued to explain that the school uniforms policy would be mandatory beginning the Tuesday after Labor Day Weekend. That day would be the start of school uniforms for EVERY student in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.

Mrs.Oaks continued to talk about the website in which students were supposed to buy their uniform. The website would give families an opportunity to purchase uniforms at a discounted price. She informed the students that once the school uniforms were shipped to their individual houses, they would need to start to wear the polos and khakis Monday-Friday.

The School Board has made this “new improvement” to help all students attending Blackhawk. In their view,  normal clothing can become distractions to other students. Also, regular clothing can be a cause for stress as students try to choose their clothing each day. If everyone would start to wear a uniform, then that could reduce the distraction and the stress of wearing normal clothes.

Even though many of the students that heard the news are angry, the uniforms will become effective this week. They are mandatory and are supposed to be worn everyday. Get prepared for this change by going to Blackhawk`s website today to purchase your uniforms!