Washougal Students Learn About Healthy Living at This Week’s Fair

Washougal, WA — Hathaway Elementary students took steps to understand healthy living at the Sodexo Student Well-Being Fair held Tuesday, January 22.

“The purpose of the event was to promote good nutrition, get the students to stop and think about the path that food takes from the field to the table, and to have FUN along the way,” said Mark Jasper, Sodexo Nutrition Services Director at Washougal School District.  “This was an interactive wellness fair concept, which fully supports our mission of inspiring lifelong healthy habits in the children we serve.”

The all-day event featured grade level groups spending an hour moving through four presentations targeted at expanding their knowledge of various aspects of a healthy life and well-being.  Topics covered were related to Nutrition, Achievement, Environment, Community and Activity. “Each station presented meaningful information that captivated the students,” said Jasper. “And, as an added bonus, as the students left the event, they were given a bag to remind them of what they learned.”

“I was happy to bring this event back this year for all of our students,” said Hathaway Principal Sarika Mosley. It was so engaging for students and Mark Jasper is so organized in bringing in his presenters. I had a second grader tell me afterwards that coconuts have juice in them! Watching our students create balanced meal plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner is important for their long-term health and well-being.”

Assisting in the event by leading presentations were Shelby Stanford, Dietitian Intern; Stacie Reiter, Sodexo’s Regional RD; Ellen Ives, Educator for Sustainability and Waste Reduction from Waste Connections; and Laycee Hyde, Sodexo Operations Manager form Forest Grove SD and Rochelle Mellendorf, Sodexo Area Marketing Manager.

“The students enjoyed the fair and came away with some useful new knowledge about wellness and healthy habits,” Jasper said.