Members of the SteerFW Education Task Force have chosen Fort Worth ISD’s De Zavala Elementary as the pilot school for its “Food for Thought” program. Task Force members met with several principals and toured campuses before making their selection.
SteerFW is an initiative started by Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price to engage young people and promote effective change in the Fort Worth community. The program tasks young leaders to actively participate in civic duty by working on community projects and providing recommendations to the Fort Worth City Council. Task force areas include education, employment opportunities, public transit and urban development.
“We are proud to partner with Mayor Price and the FWISD on this initiative. Learning to make good choices at school is critical to student self-esteem, behavior and achievement,” says Carlo Capua, chair of the Education Task Force spearheading this pilot program. “The current generation of students is on pace to be the first in history live a shorter lifespan than their parents. Reversing this trend requires every teachable moment possible - the cafeteria should not be exempt.”
“Food for Thought” will be implemented this fall beginning with training of campus staff, lunchtime food demonstrations for students, classroom education and engaging parents. In January, the lunch program will begin with a new school menu that includes freshly prepared, nutrient-rich, healthy ingredients designed by local chefs. At the end of the pilot, data will be collected on student attendance and performance to determine the impact of “Food for Thought.”
For more information about SteerFW, visit http://fortworthtexas.gov/steerfw.