Federal USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon and USDA Regional Administrator Allen Ng will visit SeaTac’s Madrona Elementary on Monday to recognize four Highline elementary schools that received Silver honors in the Healthy US Schools Challenge.
Concannon and Ng will eat a school lunch with students in the cafeteria.
Four Highline elementary schools have received recognition in the Healthier US School Challenge (HUSSC). Beverly Park, Madrona, Southern Heights and White Center Heights Elementary schools are all being recognized for creating healthier school environments through promotion of good nutrition and physical activities.

To qualify for recognition, schools must meet stringent criteria for the school meal program, nutrition education, physical activity and school policies which support a wellness environment, with efforts to:
improve the nutritional quality of the foods served,
provide students with nutrition education, and
provide students with physical education and opportunities for physical activity.

Four levels of awards are given: bronze, silver, gold and gold of distinction. Only 17 other Washington schools earned recognition, all at the bronze level. Highline’s silver awards come with a $1,000 prize for each school.

Last week, USDA announced new healthier standards for school lunches. http://www.fns.usda.gov/cga/PressReleases/2012/0023.htm