Howard County High School Students Have Their Say Essay

dejeuner menus in overt schools convey changed significantly over the past several years. There is an increased discipline concern about the alarming number of school age children who suffer from obesity. Federal and state requirements assume been difficult to achieve due to the complexity in satisfying the palette as well as common health concerns. Howard County, Maryland has joined with other areas to find a compromise between public policies and student satisfaction. John-John Williams, IV in his article, Having a Say on What They Eat, examines the efforts of the Howard County Public Schools in Ellicott City, Maryland.In chemical reaction to a 2006 wellness policy, high school administrators were required to reduce the amount of high fat foods offered to students. Items such as french fries or anything resembling fast foods were excluded as capable choices. In response, students protested with their pocketbooks by refusing to corrupt certain cafeteria items. Howard Count y high schools lost thousands of dollars in much needed revenue and were forced to include student-consumers in the decision making process. Students enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program are making their voices heard at Oakland Mills, a high school in Howard County.The young male and female chefs hope to create dishes suitable for next falls menu. Students enrolled in the cooking class, much like many restaurant owners and passkey chefs, are faced with the challenges of providing foods that meet field nutritional guidelines and at the analogous time manage toll and taste appeal. Students participating in the taste-test were required to prepare dishes that would meet the national guidelines of 750 total calories (110 of which could derive from fat), and150 grams of atomic number 11 at the cost of $1. 22.On April1, vertical a few days away, judges will look at recipes from twelve high schools in five counties including Howard. One of the major problems for high school administ rators has been student sensory faculty regarding food preparation and nutrition. They explain the students culinary wisdom in terms of cable food networks and distinction chefs. High school students tastes in foods present clashed with administrative obligations yet culinary program participants have rig a productive means of influencing systemic and institutional change.There are a variety of sociological issues imbedded in the Howard County challenge. The context of the struggle is the public high school, a social and political institutional office that operates under certain federal guidelines and state budgets. The question of community and culture is a dominant topic as Howard County explores how best to address the concerns of multiple and diverse constituents. While the primary goal is to meet public health and nutritional guidelines, the underlying impediments to meeting these objectives have been some(prenominal) economic and cultural.In order for Howard County to b e in compliance they moldiness not only answer the question of health but must also find a way to establish a form of nutritional wellness that is both affordable and acceptable to students. For example, Erika Henderson, a senior from Oakland Mills High enrolled in the Culinary Arts class, verbalize that the food was distasteful because it was cheap food with no seasoning (Williams, IV 10). As a result, Erika obdurate to bring her lunch each day. Erikas choice to pass on the cafeteria foods raises issues about class.Students from lower incomes whitethorn not have items to bring from legal residence and, in many instances, rely on the cafeteria cuisine. At the same time, Erika appears to have been quite comfortable with preparing her own food. She had a particular notion about ingredients suggesting that the culture of her home allowed and encouraged food preparation and experimentation. In addition, the Culinary Arts Program created a subculture a age group of students who, perh aps, were more aware of the nuances of food preparation and trends than their peers.The culinary arts students were the most vocal in demanding that their recipes be taste-tested and, if successful, placed on the menu. Laurie Collins, Instructional Facilitator at Oakland Mills, insisted that they will try something that has been prepared by their peers (Williams, IV 10). With just days away from a decision, over seventeen-thousand students at Oakland may have a chance to have their way in terms of affordable, healthy, appetizing, and appealing choices for lunch whether it is the baked onion rings or orchard apple tree slices.Realizing that it will be difficult to please everyone, all parties are optimistic about the fall menu. Howard County and the Oakland students have taken matters into their own hands by offering a realistic solution to what is a national and institutional problem. The students, through hard work and creativity, are cooking up their own taste of wellness. flora Cited Williams IV, John-John. Having A Say On What They Eat Howard Students Taste- Test, Prepare Own Candidate for Cafeteria Menu The Baltimore Sun 22 March 2009 1, 10.