SWAC The New Buzz of the FSNA

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SWAC- The New Buzz of the FSNA
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SWAC

• We have a responsibility to promote knowledge,
  attitudes and behaviors among our school children
  that will develop eating habits that improve
  health, intellectual development, and overall
  quality of life, today and into the future.

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Student Wellness Advisory Councils (SWAC)

• Student organization or club that provides advice
  for nutritional programs in school as well as
  nutritional advice for their peers

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SNA/SWAC History

• School Nutrition Association (SNA) was
  established in 1946
• Currently has approximately 55,000 members
• Student Wellness Advisory Councils (SWAC),
  formally Nutrition Advisory Councils (NAC), were
  formed in 1973
• 1st national committee consisted of seven
  students representing each of the Associations
  regions

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Why is having a SWAC important?

• Involves students in our organization
• Markets the food service program
• Increases participation
• Serves as communication bridge between students,
  administrators, school foodservice personnel,
  faculty, and the community
• Promotes nutrition and opportunity for students
  to learn about and promote nutrition and health

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Health Trends

• Only 2 percent of youth meet all the serving
  recommendations in the Food Guide Pyramid
• Of todays children and adolescents
• 84 consume too much fat
• 91 consume too much saturated fat
• 51 eat less than one serving of fruit a day
• 29 eat less than one serving of vegetables that
  are not fried

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Health Trends - Continued

• Calcium Intake of adolescent girls
• On Average about 800 mg per day
• Recommended Dietary Allowances 1300 mg per day
• 1 in 5 students, ages 15-18, regularly skip
  breakfast
• Overweight American Youth
• Percentage of Children ages 6-11 has more than
  doubled
• Percentage of adolescents has tripled

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Health Trends - Continued

• Teenagers today drink twice as much soda as milk
• Children spend more time watching television than
  they spend on physical activity
• Studies have proven that television watching is
  directly associated with obesity
• Nearly 31 percent of high school students get
  insufficient amounts of physical activity

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Health Consequences

• Children and adolescents who are obese have a
  greater chance of becoming overweight or obese
  adults
• 1/4 of children, ages 5 to 10, show early warning
  signs of heart disease
• Type II diabetes is being diagnosed more
  frequently among overweight children

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Health Consequences - Continued

• Overweight children are likely to miss 4 times
  more school than children who are not overweight
• Increased consumption of carbonated beverages can
  lead to osteoporosis

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SWAC Can Help!

• A Student Wellness Advisory Council Can
• Show students how they can improve their eating
  pattern and physical activity by making small and
  gradual changes
• Make changes in school policy and environment to
  support healthy lifestyle choices
• Provide opportunities for students to practice a
  healthy lifestyle

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Getting Started

• Recruit an advisor, preferably an FSNA member
• Obtain support from administration
• Recruit an adult faculty member to assist in
  leading the group
• Recruit students to serve
• Student Council
• Family and consumer science class
• A volunteer classroom

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Getting Started-continued

• Submit SWAC registration form to FSNA
• Provide membership cards
• Provided page 28 of SWAC Handbook
• Develop activities
• can include fundraising events that support other
  SWAC endeavors
• Market the program

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Group Structure

• Questions to consider
• How many students should be in the group?
• What are the criteria for membership?
• How should the group be governed?
• Do you want the group to have officers?
• Should they be elected/appointed?
• What are the responsibilities of each officer?
• How do you want to organize tasks?
• How often should the group meet?

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Characteristics of a Successful SWAC

• Effective communicators
• Nutrition minded
• Enthusiastic
• Result oriented
• Good examples
• Excellent public relations agents
• Teachers
• Idea oriented
• Cooperative

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Develop a Strategic Plan

• Establish goals and objectives at the beginning
  of each year
• Develop an action plan
• Assign responsibilities
• Establish time lines

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Advisor Responsibilities

• Obtain support from school administration
• Create a vision of what SWAC can accomplish in
  the school and community
• Inspire others to help achieve that vision
• Keep administration informed of the SWACs
  purpose and results

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SWAC Member Responsibilities

• Educate faculty and fellow students about Food
  and Nutrition Services important role in
• athletic performance
• academic achievement
• personal well-being
• productivity
• Consult with fellow students to find out
  strengths and weaknesses of the School Nutrition
  programs
• Get ideas on how to improve the School Nutrition
  Programs

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SWAC Member Responsibilities-continued

• When presented with plans or suggestions be sure
  to investigate all options
• Establish relations with community and business
  leaders
• Help include other students in decisions
  regarding school meals
• Plan special events and projects in the cafeteria

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Group Activities

• Some Suggestions Include
• National School Lunch Week (NSLW)
• National School Breakfast Week (NSBW)
• Menu Planning
• Taste Testing
• Industry Facility Tour
• School Kitchen Tour
• Parents/Seniors Day
• Food Drives

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Group Activities-continued

• School Assembly on Nutrition
• Classroom Presentation on Child Nutrition
• Survey Students about School Nutrition Programs
• Guest Speakers
• Decorate the Dining Area
• Recycling Program
• Develop a Healthy Eating Program
• SWAC Bulletin Board

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Fund Raisers

• Bake Sales
• Car Washes
• Thons (bowl-a-thon, walk-a-thon, etc.)
• Sale of Merchandise
• Paper Drive
• Games
• Sponsor a School Dance
• Sponsor a Nutrition Week

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National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Facts

• Established in 1946 after the US government had
  to reject many World War II recruits due to
  malnutrition
• Largest of the federal child nutrition programs
  in terms of spending and the number of children
  served
• 99,800 public and non-profit private schools and
  residential childcare institutions serve lunch
  every school day
• Approximately 24 million children served daily

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National School Breakfast Program (NSBP) Facts

• Established as part of the Child Nutrition Act of
  1966
• Today, over 8.4 million school children in 72,000
  schools are served daily
• Provides states with cash assistance for
  nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and
  residential childcare institutions

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Making a Difference!

• SWAC Can Be Involved In
• Local Wellness Policy
• Local Nutrition Standards
• Team Nutrition
• Nutrition Education
• Healthier US School Challenge
• Encouraging Breakfast and Lunch Participation

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Further InformationLocal Wellness Policy

• Federal Public Law requires that by June 30, 2006
  all schools must develop a wellness policy
• Involves
• parents and students
• representatives from the school food authority
• the school board and school administrators
• the public
• Establishes a plan for measuring implementation
  of the wellness policy
• Includes goals for
• nutrition education
• physical activity
• nutrition guidelines for all foods available on
  each school campus during the school day

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Local Nutrition Standards

• All foods made available on campus will comply
  with the current USDA Guidelines for Americans
• SWAC can help enforce local nutrition standards

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SWAC Partners with Team Nutrition

• Team Nutrition is a USDA nutrition education
  initiative for assisting schools in improving
  childrens lifelong eating and physical activity.

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SWACs Role in Team Nutrition

• Work with Team Nutrition to provide meals with a
  variety of healthy foods
• Should be tasty and appealing to students
• Should meet the USDA nutrition standards and the
  Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Take part in professional development
• Be an active member of the professional team at
  your school
• To Enroll in the Program visit
  www.fns.usda.gov/tn/

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Healthier US School Challenge

• A Team Nutrition Initiative
• Recognizes Nutrition Excellence in Elementary
  Schools
• Silver and Gold level certifications
• Certification is for a 2 year period
• For more information visit www.healthierus.gov

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Nutrition Education

• Plan and conduct nutrition lessons
• Invite nutrition or health professionals to speak
• Students can evaluate their diets using the
  MyPyramid and set goals for improvement
• Learn how to use the MyPyramid to create balanced
  school meals
• For further information please visit
  http//www.mypyramid.gov/

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Nutritious Breakfast Lunches

• Promote nutritionally balanced reimbursable
  breakfast and lunch
• Increase breakfast participation

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CONCLUSION

• In School Food Service, we have been given a
  mission to feed school children, so that they
  will have healthy bodies and be ready to learn.