| Atlanta Schools' "Wellness" Workshops Promote | | | | Atlanta Schools. Innovative strategies that will be |
| Nutrition and Physical Education | | | | used include yoga classes for teachers and students, |
| When Atlanta Schools opened at the end of August, | | | | vegetarian cafeteria lines, and walking trails. The |
| a new project was initiated. The "Wellness" | | | | overall plan was developed by the Atlanta Schools' |
| Workshop Project kicked off the school year with a | | | | Board of Education. The Board of Education will offer |
| workshop that included Olympic gold medalist Gail | | | | guidelines on how to implement the program and |
| Devers, author Yvonne Butler, 300 students from | | | | how the schools will be evaluated. |
| the Atlanta School District, faculty members, and | | | | A major part of the plan is establishing wellness |
| community leaders. This was the first ever Atlanta | | | | councils. These councils will be comprised of teachers, |
| Schools' "wellness" workshop. Atlanta Schools' | | | | parents, administrators, students, and community and |
| Margaret Fain Elementary School's Wings of Eagles | | | | business partners. The council will assist Atlanta |
| dance troupe performed to illustrate how much | | | | Schools in integrating nutrition and physical education |
| physical energy is used in dance. | | | | into the current curriculum. The wellness council will |
| The first "Wellness" Workshop was co-chaired by Dr. | | | | also have a presence at events throughout the |
| Marilyn Hughes, the director of nutrition administration | | | | Atlanta Schools. |
| for Atlanta Schools, and Billette Owens-Ashford, | | | | Recently, Atlanta Schools' wellness plan received a |
| Atlanta Schools' director of physical education and | | | | boost from the involvement of an Atlanta Schools' |
| athletics. The goal of the "Wellness" Workshop | | | | parent. Linton Hopkins has two children attending E. |
| Project is improve the health of the students by | | | | Rivers Elementary School. Hopkins is concerned about |
| identifying health-related problems. It has been | | | | the nutritional value of cafeteria offerings at the E. |
| proven that health related issues can often have a | | | | Rivers Elementary School but unlike other parents, |
| direct affect on a student's academic achievement. | | | | Hopkins is the executive chef of Atlanta's Restaurant |
| The inaugural "Wellness" Workshop for the Atlanta | | | | Eugene and winner of this year's Atlanta "Iron Chef" |
| Schools had a variety of speakers and displays that | | | | competition. Hopkins has joined the Local School |
| provided resources on nutritional based activities and | | | | Wellness Council to help evaluate the school's |
| physical education activities. The keynote speaker | | | | cafeteria. Hopkins isn't the only trained chef to join |
| was Dr. Yvonne Butler. Dr. Butler is a noted author | | | | the E. Rivers Elementary School's wellness council. |
| whose book, "Healthy Kids, Smart Kids," discusses | | | | Elisa Gambino, owner of pasta emporium Via Elisa, |
| the impact of diet and exercise on learning and | | | | has along with eleven other parents joined the |
| academic performance. Other speakers included | | | | wellness council. Parental involvement is an important |
| Olympic track-and-field gold medalist Gail Severs who | | | | element to the success of the wellness councils. |
| spoke about importance of exercise to health and | | | | Currently, approximately 90 percent of Atlanta |
| how to stay physically fit. | | | | Schools' elementary and 65 percent of high schools |
| Atlanta Schools' "Wellness" Workshop Project is part | | | | have parents actively involved with the wellness |
| of a broad program that aims to provide both fitness | | | | council of their school. |
| and nutrition strategies for students and staff in all | | | | |