Sunset Students Local Organizing Committee Action Meeting to Improve School Lunches - May 15, 2012
The Sunset High School Student Organizing Committee hosted a community meeting on their proposals to improve their school lunch program on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, at 10:00 am. Maria Raya, a junior at Sunset High School and leader on the Organizing Committee states, "We believe the current limited lunch options do not provide enough fresh or healthy alternatives to meet the calorie and nutrition needs of teenagers." The meeting, which was held in Sunset High School's Multipurpose Room, provided a public forum for the students to report on the process they took to identify their concerns, the results of their research process, and the committee's solution to the problem. Del Norte County Unified School District leadership team members Rodney Jahn, Don Olson, and Suzie Dooley, were invited to address the students' proposals. Approximately 100 people attended, including representatives from the Del Norte County Children's Health Collaborative, the Community Wellness Center, Rural Human Services, the Nutrition Network and the Humboldt Area Foundation. Parents and concerned residents from as far away as Weitchpec, California, also were in attendance. Students have used the community change model known as People Improving Communities Through Organizing, or PICO, to gain insight into the school meals program and further their understanding of the complex issues that impact food service procurement and delivery. The PICO Model provides intensive leadership training that teaches people how to use the tools of democracy to improve their communities. "I am privileged to be a student at Sunset High School, where because of the support of our principal and staff, I can be exposed to different kinds of experiences and opportunities that help me develop my full potential as a youth leader," says Ben Thomas, a senior at the school. Anthony Rodriguez, a junior who transferred to Sunset High School earlier this year adds, "I have learned a lot being on the organizing committee. I like that I am able to help my school and I'm looking forward to being a leader in making more improvements next year." The students were working with Melissa Darnell, Youth Community Organizer, who serves as an adult ally and liaison between the student committee and the regional work of The California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities Initiative, who sponsors the organizing effort. The California Endowment believes that health happens in neighborhoods, schools, and with prevention. As such, the Endowment has embarked on Building Healthy Communities (BHC), a ten-year campaign to improve the health of young people residing in vulnerable, at-risk communities through stronger and innovative prevention approaches. The Endowment believes that youth empowerment is the key to the healthy and equitable transformation of communities they envision.
The Sunset High School Student Organizing Committee hosted a community meeting on their proposals to improve their school lunch program on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, at 10:00 am. Maria Raya, a junior at Sunset High School and leader on the Organizing Committee states, "We believe the current limited lunch options do not provide enough fresh or healthy alternatives to meet the calorie and nutrition needs of teenagers." The meeting, which was held in Sunset High School's Multipurpose Room, provided a public forum for the students to report on the process they took to identify their concerns, the results of their research process, and the committee's solution to the problem. Del Norte County Unified School District leadership team members Rodney Jahn, Don Olson, and Suzie Dooley, were invited to address the students' proposals. Approximately 100 people attended, including representatives from the Del Norte County Children's Health Collaborative, the Community Wellness Center, Rural Human Services, the Nutrition Network and the Humboldt Area Foundation. Parents and concerned residents from as far away as Weitchpec, California, also were in attendance. Students have used the community change model known as People Improving Communities Through Organizing, or PICO, to gain insight into the school meals program and further their understanding of the complex issues that impact food service procurement and delivery. The PICO Model provides intensive leadership training that teaches people how to use the tools of democracy to improve their communities. "I am privileged to be a student at Sunset High School, where because of the support of our principal and staff, I can be exposed to different kinds of experiences and opportunities that help me develop my full potential as a youth leader," says Ben Thomas, a senior at the school. Anthony Rodriguez, a junior who transferred to Sunset High School earlier this year adds, "I have learned a lot being on the organizing committee. I like that I am able to help my school and I'm looking forward to being a leader in making more improvements next year." The students were working with Melissa Darnell, Youth Community Organizer, who serves as an adult ally and liaison between the student committee and the regional work of The California Endowment's Building Healthy Communities Initiative, who sponsors the organizing effort. The California Endowment believes that health happens in neighborhoods, schools, and with prevention. As such, the Endowment has embarked on Building Healthy Communities (BHC), a ten-year campaign to improve the health of young people residing in vulnerable, at-risk communities through stronger and innovative prevention approaches. The Endowment believes that youth empowerment is the key to the healthy and equitable transformation of communities they envision.