Georgia Elementary School bans junk food....

The school day starts with an hour of jumping jacks, exercising and dancing -- one morning to the beat of "Whoomp! (There It Is)" as the children bounce and sing along. Students also eat a breakfast of omelets, soy milk, organic cereal and turkey sausages.

"When students are healthy, they do their best work..." Sanders-Butler said. "We want to make sure we're providing foods that will not only nourish the body, but also brain foods."

It turns out the kids don't hate the healthy stuff.

"One of the most requested vegetables now is broccoli..." Sanders-Butler said. "Can you believe that? The kids love broccoli."

In the first six months of the sugar ban, disciplinary incidents went down 23 percent, counseling referrals decreased 30 percent, and in the first years of standardized test scores, reading scores improved 15 percent, she said. Browns Mill was named a national blue ribbon school and a Georgia school of excellence in 2005.
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The Paul B. Redman Youth Gardener of the Year! Amber Rollie!

We are all so proud of Amber Rollie who stands out in the Weinland Park neighborhood as a youth leader and community organizer. The Godman Guild T.E.E.N. Program hired her as teen staff to work in the garden with me. Over the years she has grown and I know that the garden was a venue for her to practice her leadership skills. She is currently attending Wright State University and hopes to receive a degree in Social Work! Way to go Amber and thanks to Growing to Green for recognizing her achievements!