Baltimore School Celebrates 4000th Donation In National Salad Bar Program
BALTIMORE (WJZ)--A project started by first lady Michelle Obama is helping Baltimore City school children to eat healthier.
The first lady wants every child in America to have access to a salad bar in their school cafeteria. Today, a Baltimore City elementary school was the 4,000th school to get one!
Jessica Kartalija has the details.
At Calvin Rodwell Elementary School Micah Richardson is getting a good lesson in healthy eating.
Micah and his classmates are the latest to get a fruit and veggie bar as part of the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools program.
"When you teach a child these habits of healthy living and healthy living, they'll have these habits for life," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
"I like it because it's healthy, good for your body and helps you get strong," said Joseph Smith.
It's an important message that starts right here in the school cafeteria.
"One thing I eat at home is like grapes, or bananas or strawberries or blueberries because they're good for your body," one student said.
"The strawberries help you stay healthy because when you bite into them, they are juicy," said Kaylee Eaton-Torres.
The project was started by first lady Michelle Obama as part of her "Lets Move! Initiative".
"They bring it home--I've heard from a lot of retailers that they are having trouble because schools will serve vegetables for lunch and all of a sudden there's a run for that vegetable on the weekend," said Sam Kass, former Executive Director of Let Move.
And the students are getting the message
"I would eat a salad because it's healthy and it makes me get fit for my basketball," said one student.
"Broccoli is good because when you put it in your mouth with ranch dressing it tastes like lettuce," said Kaylee Eaton-Torres.
"In my opinion the cucumbers are as sweet as cotton candy," another student said.
The Lets Move Salad Bars To Schools donations will benefit more than 2-million students nationwide.
70 Baltimore City Schools now have salad bars.