Share Your Network Story
Tell us about exciting events and activities happening at your Network for a Healthy California—LAUSD participating school or in your classroom. We want to hear from you!
Please send your Network Story to info@healthylausd.net.
Salsa, I’m Back!
One year ago, I was eating large meals at 9 p.m. that included pizza, pupusas filled with cheese and fried pork skin. I never gave a thought to how much I was eating. During this time, I weighed over 240 pounds. My cholesterol level was over 300, I had high blood pressure and I often felt weak. I had to give up my favorite pastime, salsa dancing, because my knees simply could not take the weight. I did not want to feel this way anymore and I was very unhappy about having to shop for clothes in the “plus” sizes.
After taking a six-week nutrition workshop from the Network for a Healthy California—LAUSD in October of 2011, I decided to make some changes to better my health. I learned that making simple changes to the way I eat could help me reach my goal of being healthier.
The workshop taught me the importance of portion control. In the past, I ate large portions of everything. I now measure foods out to make sure I am not eating too much. Instead of a huge bowl of grapes, now I only have half a cup. In the workshop, we made a yogurt parfait with nonfat yogurt, strawberries, kiwi, banana and granola. Instead of the sausage and fried cheese omelets that I used to serve at parent meetings, I now serve the fruit parfait and the parents love it. They ask me how to make it and I give them the recipe so they can make the parfait for their families.
In addition, I have shared the information from the workshop with my son and he is now watching portion sizes too. We both have a gym membership now and go to the gym regularly. I feel so happy that my son has also made changes to improve his health. He was nearly 300 pounds last year and he has lost 40 pounds so far!
As a result of taking the nutrition workshop, I have lost more than 25 pounds. I am wearing clothes that I have not worn in a year because I can now button them up. My self esteem is up, I am happy, and I have a lot of energy. My cholesterol and blood pressure are within normal limits. I am even spending less money on food – eating healthy is saving me money!
My goals are to continue what I learned in the nutrition workshop and to be an example for my son and the many parents I work with at Foshay Learning Center. The thing I am happiest about is I am salsa dancing again – up to an hour at a time, three times a week, and without any pain in my knees!
-Esther Linares, Parent Center Representative, Foshay Learning Center
Big Sunday
In May 2011, the Network for a Healthy California—LAUSD held a Volunteer Garden Day in conjunction with Big Sunday, Los Angeles’ largest community volunteer day. More than 80 volunteers came to the garden space outside the Network office in Van Nuys to pull weeds, level gardening plots, re-landscape, and plant herbs, fruits and vegetables.
The volunteers included Network staff, neighborhood residents, and students, parents and teachers from schools in the surrounding communities. Everyone got down and dirty from 9 a.m. until Noon, transforming the Network’s outdoor space into a model instructional school garden, which will serve to teach others that we all have the power to grow our own healthy foods.
Grapes, crabapples, nectarines and peaches are growing within the instructional garden among raised beds of tomatoes, artichokes, eggplants, peppers, bok choi 
and strawberries. Two additional plots are currently growing three different varieties of corn, tomatoes, squash and the tallest sunflowers the Network has ever seen.
The edible crops, which are already being harvested for sampling and recipes, are complemented by a rose garden, a drought-tolerant California native garden and an herb rock garden.
The instructional garden is always open during school hours – we invite you to come and learn how school gardens can introduce students to the wonders of fresh and local fruits and vegetables.
Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in the Volunteer Garden Day. Before long, it will be fall and time to plant all over again!
Lanterman High School
Xochitl Pizarro, a member of the class of 2011 with Down's Syndrome, is an inspiration to all of us at Lanterman High School. Despite a very challenging past three years, during which her mother passed away and her sister was accidentally killed in a drive-by shooting, Xochitl has overcome the odds to make great progress in her adaptive and social skills.
Inspired by her love for Harvest of the Month, she has been an active role model and advocate for the healthy lifestyle changes that the Network for a Healthy California—LAUSD promotes. Two years ago, she made nutrition her priority, changing her eating habits and often telling her teacher to "stop eating junk!" This year, she brought her own breakfast and snacks daily and refused any party foods such as sodas and candy. She lost weight and won the most votes for Prom Queen 2011!
Xochitl culminated from Lanterman High in June 2011 and plans to enroll in an adult vocational program in the fall. We will miss Xochitl greatly as she advances to her next program.
Michelle Deeb
School Psychologist, Lanterman High School
Vista Middle School
I wanted to share the cool stuff that my NAC did for Halloween when our school hosted its first Trunk-n-Treat event! Mr. Mark Rickertsen, a science teacher at our school, came up with this great idea and worked hard to organize the event. At Trunk-n-Treat, teachers, parents and community members parked their cars in our parking lot with their trunks open and handed out candy to trick-or-treaters.
My NAC students made a sign that said "SAY 'BOO' TO CANDY, 'OOOOH' TO FRUIT!" and passed out samples of jicama with lemon and chili. There we were, music blasting from my car, trunk open, with tons of kids and parents attracted to our tasty treat! The NAC members even asked trick-or-treaters to dance for 5-10 seconds in order to "earn" their jicama sample! Many kids came back after the weekend talking about how yummy the jicama was and how much fun they had. We had a great time and I'm very proud of us! Thanks Mr. Rickertsen for bringing our community together with this fun and safe event! —Leticia Castillo Jenkins, NAC Advisor at Vista Middle School
