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HealthierUS School Challenge

Recognizing Nutrition Excellence in Schools

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starHealthierUS School Challenge
Obesity is a growing concern for school children in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) believes that schools should be taking a leadership role in helping students learn to make healthy eating and active lifestyle choices. Many schools have already made changes to their school nutrition environments, improved the quality of the foods served, and now provide students with more nutritious, healthy choices. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) wants to encourage schools to achieve such results, and has established the HealthierUS School Challenge to encourage schools to go further and to recognize those who chose to do so.
 

starHealthierUS Schools
HealthierUS Schools can be certified as either Silver or Gold Team Nutrition Schools, according to standards established by FNS. The objective is to recognize schools that take specific steps to improve their programs and address obesity and to encourage other schools to follow their lead. Ultimately, FNS would like to see all schools take the challenge: Go for the Silver! Go for the Gold!

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starHow Does It Work?
Schools must meet a basic set of criteria. To be certified, a school must:

  • be an elementary school
  • be enrolled as a Team Nutrition School
  • offer reimbursable lunches that demonstrate healthy menu planning practices and principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and that meet USDA nutrition standards star
  • provide nutrition education to students
  • provide students the opportunity for physical activity
  • maintain an Average Daily Participation of 70 percent or higher of school enrollment for reimbursable lunches
  • adhere to guidelines established by FNS for foods served/sold in schools outside the National School Lunch Program.

Assessmentstar
FNS has developed an Assessment Tool which details the standards that must be met for "Silver" and "Gold" level designations. The tool requests specific information to verify a school's adherence to the standards. The school's completed Assessment Tool must be evaluated by a local review panel, and endorsed by the school's leadership, including its principal. Completed Assessment Tools will be forwarded to FNS through the State Child Nutrition Office. star

Take the Challenge!          

  • Review the standards/criteria [PDF]
  • Download the Self-Assessment form [PDF]
  • Convene a review panel
  • Complete the review
  • Obtain the required approvals and signatures
  • Submit the completed form to the state agency
  • Certification as a HealthierUS School is for 2 years, the year of approval and the subsequent year.

star starRecognition
FNS will review all completed Assessment Tools and award schools that successfully meet the Challenge with an appropriate recognition plaque. In addition, the recognized schools will be listed on the Team Nutrition Web site, may be chosen to be a part of special FNS media events and may receive other awards that promote and support the principles of the Challenge.                      star

Details                                        star
Team Nutrition is the nutrition education initiative of the Child Nutrition Programs. The Assessment Tool and all Team Nutrition materials and support are available free of charge to schools participating in the school meals programs.
 

HealthierUSstars
The HealthierUS initiative is based on the premise that increasing personal fitness and becoming healthier is critical to achieving a better and longer life. HealthierUS promotes four keys for a healthier America:

  • Be physically active each day.
  • Eat a nutritious diet.
  • Get preventive screenings.
  • Make Healthy choices.

starTo learn more about HealthierUS, visit www.healthierus.gov stars