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Healthy food initiatives and peanut ban disrupt lunchtime order
have been cited as the chief upset to the lunch-time distribution of students. As a combined result, thousands of students were forced to seek lunch and eat it in what were described as time-pressed and overcrowded After a six week adjustment period to new conditions. local and national school lunch regulations, the In order to lessen overcrowding in the cafeterias, school has arranged for the sale of new food the school opened a new lunch line serving school-made choices in place of those that were banned or pizza and other foods, such as flatbread sandwiches and removed from this year’s school lunch offerings. mini-burgers, during the week of Sept. 17 in the pavilion Over the summer, the Healthy School where Papa John’s Pizza used to be served. Meals Act, a federal law banning school lunch “We added that line again products that can be so that should alleviate the associated with “adult diseases” We added [another] line issue. [The food sold in the like diabetes and obesity, went again so that should alleviate line] is something the students into effect. Pursuant to the law, the the issue. [The food sold] is prefer,” said Principal Adolfo school can no longer serve food something the students prefer. Costa. from outside vendors, like Papa It is also reported that local John’s Pizza, whose foods fail to Adolfo Costa, independent franchisee of Papa pass these standards. Additionally, Principal John’s Pizza Jeremy Barna at the beginning of the school year, stated in a Sept. 22 Parent the school’s administration enacted Teacher Student Association the nut and lentil product ban, now meeting that efforts were being made to develop “low fat effective on school grounds. cheese [pizza] that complies with the [Healthy School The new regulations had contributed to, according Meals Act].” to some students, growing lunch lines and an overall The two changes to the school’s lunch program come inaccessibility of school lunch. For several weeks, the amid reported widespread discontent among the students absence of pavilion-served Papa John’s Pizza and under-
IN A NUTSHELL
By Casey Breznick & Araceli Sanchez
news
COPY EDITOR & STAFF WRITER
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stocked nut-and-lentil-product free vending machines
opinion
PG. 4 Police give students unfair jaywalking tickets on Riviera Drive
PG. 10 highlights’ own Cyrus Zeledon dances with the Gablettes & Co.
Election connection: Register to vote, volunteer By Raquel Braun STAFF WRITER
With the presidential election quickly approaching, it is crucial that everyone eligible exercises their right to vote. Social studies teacher Stephanie Cosgrove is working in collaboration with Univision and School Board Member Raquel Regalado to register those students who are eligible and interested in voting. This registration will take place in room F342 on Oct. 4 only. Students may pre-register to vote if they are United States citizens and are at least 16 years of age, but may only vote in the November presidential election if they are 18 years old. Students can also register to vote online (see below) or at post offices, public libraries and individual campaign offices. Voter registration forms must be submitted by Oct. 9 in order to receive a Voter Registration Card before Election Day on Nov. 6. To register or pre-register to vote online, visit www.election.dos.state.fl.us/voter-registration.
insight
journals. Some classes write in the journals daily, while in other classes students summarize “how they helped their bodies over the weekend.” In one of PE teacher Eulalia Albalate’s DE Fitness classes, each student has an iPad and pedometer, which the school received from a federal grant. Students with the pedometers record how much they walk, and have a goal of 10,000 steps a day. “Keeping a record of everything is good because you can see if you’re improving or doing worse, so eventually you can get better,” said sophomore Eduardo Crespo. Albalate’s classes plan to make a fitness commercial for the announcements “so for 30 seconds the whole school is moving together,” she said. They will also be attending a Diabetes Awareness Walk on Nov. 16. Though many PE classes are participating in the Let’s Move! campaign, a few did not alter or add to their lesson plans in any way. Participating classes were limited to the changes they could make by budget restraints and equipment shortages. “I believe the campaign would be more effective and enticing to students if we had the equipment that CrossFit and other fitness centers have,” said PE teacher Tracy Watkins.
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First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign aims to end childhood obesity by improving nutrition in schools and encouraging children to get active. The campaign, launched in February of 2010, does not legally require schools to follow its guidelines, though monetary awards are given to schools that achieve certification in the Healthier US School Challenge. Four thousand schools achieved the certification last school year. This school year, to coincide with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act being put into effect, the MiamiDade County Public Schools District asked all schools to participate in the Let’s Move! campaign. Classes in the Physical Education Department at Gables have added components corresponding with the campaign to their lesson plans. Students in Dual Enrollment (DE) Fundamentals of Fitness, aerobics, health, weight training, and some of the general physical education (PE) classes are tracking their exercise and food intake levels in activity and nutrition
percent of students have not been caught with peanut products, although 49 percent have brought them to school. Out of 250 student surveyed.
the scene
‘Let’s Move!’ campaign motivates P.E. classes HEAD NEWS WRITER
percent of students said they wait in line for more than 15 minutes to buy their lunch. Lunch is 30 minutes long.
‘Plans in Practice’ is continued on page 2.
GABLES GETS ACTIVE
By Brooke Donner
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percent of students said the lunchtime changes have made it more difficult or nearly impossible to buy their lunch.
PG. 12 A Wynwood café provides free literature to patrons