Carol Wagner • Game Changer

Game Changer -- a person or idea that transforms the accepted rules, processes, strategies, and management of an organization. And leads the movement of similar organizations in the same direction.

 
A couple of weeks ago on this blog, we had the temerity to brag that members of Go Green Northbrook were game changers. Carol Wagner, a member of The Go Green Northbrook School Team, is a perfect example.

She has been instrumental in helping to create a healthier culture across Northbrook School District 28, starting in the cafeteria. She spearheaded an evolution in the Northbrook Junior High lunch menu -- from the conventional choices of processed foods, often high in fats and carbohydrates, to an organic menu that includes recipes made with fresh ingredients, free from pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. 

A Holistic Nutrition Consultant, Carol began partnering with District 28 in 2004 with several initiatives, beginning with a Nutrition Task Force, comprised of the Junior High Principal, Superintendent, School Board members, the District Business Manager, a Parent/Nutrition Consultant, a Teacher, the Food Service Vendor, and later, a Student Representative. This team meets monthly and Carol feels that much of the District's success comes from having the key stakeholders around the table every month, focused on nutrition, health, and wellness. 

Some of the ideas she consulted on that first year included improving the physical features of the cafeteria, from its aesthetics to upgraded equipment. The deep fryer was removed and a steamer was added. The menu was revised. Soda was eliminated. A required six-week Healthy Eating class was added to the 6th grade curriculum. And there were guest lectures by a holistic nutritionist, well-versed in ways to make it fun to learn about the benefits of healthier foods. Carol even reached out to a James Beard award-winning chef, Sarah Stegner, of Northbrook's own Prairie Grass Cafe, to help create some delicious recipes for the cafeteria. 

At first, the seventh and eighth graders were a little chagrined that the pizza and fries they expected were no longer on the menu every single day. Baked fries a few times a week and pizza on Fridays soon became the norm and the grumbling eventually quieted down. The sixth graders, in their first year of junior high, adjusted to the change more readily, since they were new and didn't know there had ever been anything else.  

Most recently, in 2012-13, the ninth year since the district began building a healthier culture, a new organic food service management company was hired and a garden/outdoor classroom was built. The first spring crop of vegetables was planted and harvested with help from classes at the elementary schools. [WATCH VIDEO HERE.] The harvest was used in the Northbrook Junior High cafeteria with signage to alert students that the produce they were eating was from their garden. Garden activities were incorporated into the curriculum and a year-end survey of students and staff was distributed for feedback and suggestions for the new food service. 

Lessons learned from the District 28 multi-year wellness initiative include offering more opportunities for parent engagement and introducing a student rep to sit on the committee earlier in the process. Also, while there may be some initial complaints [remember the eighth graders?], they soon die down.

The impact has been significant. Students began to realize that if they eat better, they can do better in school. To appreciate how much food can affect a student's performance in class, watch this video about the astonishing changes that occurred in an Appleton, Wisconsin, alternative school, when the menu changed. 

Part ONE
Part TWO

Even though the district anticipated a loss for the first year after the cafeteria changes had been made, they were pleased to discover that they broke even and were soon profitable. There has also been an increase in the number of students eating in the cafeteria. Teachers, too! To engage the students even more, they are encouraged to submit recipes for the staff to prepare. There has been a great deal of excitement when a student's recipe has been selected for preparation and offered in the cafeteria. The student's name appears with the name of their entree on the monthly cafeteria menu. 

In 2011, Carol's impressive efforts were recognized by the Chicago Tribune. She was chosen to receive one of their yearly Good Eating Awards. She joined a select group of eight people who, according to the Tribune, "made a difference with their passion, vision, and commitment to quality. All have enhanced the food scene in Chicago with their accomplishments."

Carol makes it clear she has never been alone in her efforts to make change. "What an honor it has been to partner with District 28 on the journey towards building a healthier culture. The receptivity of the top administration at District 28 was instrumental in my ability to serve as a consultant.

"When everyone understands why you're making a change, there is much less resistance. From changing the cafeteria, to creating a mandatory healthy eating class, to fundraising for a garden/outdoor classroom."

To others who want to achieve the same kind of success, Carol doesn't hold back, "Educate! Educate! "Educate! Don't lose your sense of humor, and help dispel the myth that eating healthfully has to taste like your shoes!" 

So. If you're still wondering whether members of Go Green Northbrook have what it takes to make change, you better believe Carol Wagner's got game. 

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• Northbrook School District 28 • 
Nutritional Philosophy and Menu Guidelines 
For the Northbrook Junior High Cafeteria
[http://ww1.northbrook28.net/index.aspx?nid=119]

Philosophy:

A number of studies have shown a conclusive link between how well students eat and how well they perform in school. Students who consume a more nutritious diet generally tend to demonstrate higher academic achievement.

At the Northbrook Junior High School cafeteria, our commitment is to provide meal options that are as nutritious as possible, as well as affordable for the District and appealing to students. We’ve based our guidelines on published research and generally recognized principles of sound nutrition.

Guidelines:

We primarily serve grass-fed beef. That kind of beef has been shown to be lower in saturated fat, which contributes to higher cholesterol and obesity. It is also free of antibiotics and growth hormones.

We emphasize fresh vegetables and fruits on the menu, using frozen produce when fresh items are not in season. We do not serve canned vegetables, because the process decreases their nutritional content.

The chicken served in the cafeteria is fresh, free-range poultry from Glenview-based Harrison’s Poultry. It contains no hormones or antibiotics.

We serve whole-wheat buns and bread. The process of making whole-wheat bread retains more of the nutrients present in the grains.

We do not serve foods that contain artificial coloring. Some studies have linked artificial colorings in food to hyperactivity in children.

We do not serve drinks that are artificially sweetened with aspartame, based on studies that have linked the chemical to heightened risk for a number of diseases.

We use baking or steaming to cook foods, instead of deep-frying, because those methods reduce the amount of fat in the finished product.

We serve milk, plain and naturally-flavored water, and 100% fruit juice. We do not serve pop in the cafeteria, because those drinks contain large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup, which has been linked to obesity and diabetes.