Let’sMove! – Let’s Move Updates: Aloha!

November 18, 2011 THIS WEEK The First Lady joined the President in Hawaii this past weekend to host the conference of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders. During her visit she toured MA’O Organic Farms, a 24.5-acre organic farm that is home to the Kauhale Youth Education and Entrepreneurship Initiative. High school and college interns commit to 3 years of part-time agricultural work on the farm in exchange for a full tuition waiver at a local college and a monthly stipend. MA’O not only provides this benefit to the community, but also achieves a larger mission of developing leadership skills in students and promoting food self-sufficiency through farming skills. MA’O Organic Farm and its Initiative have created jobs in the area and have brought attention to health initiatives. After the tour, the First Lady sat down with the interns to discuss farming, community sustainability, and food policy. She asked them about their challenges and encouraged the interns to get more members of their community involved.   President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcome leaders and spouses at the APEC arrival ceremony in Honolulu, Hawaii, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) GET ACTIVE TIP OF THE WEEK The leaves are beginning to fall off of the trees. Take advantage of the opportunity to rake them into piles and jump into them. Not only will you be having fun, you’ll also be getting in your physical activity for the day.EAT HEALTHY TIP OF THE WEEK The First Lady always says that as long as we’re making healthy choices most of the time, it’s ok to splurge during holidays or special events. So let’s all try to eat balanced, nutritious meals the next week and then enjoy our Thanksgiving celebration!BLOG HIGHLIGHTS Leading by Example: National Park Service Employees Get Active with the PALA Challenge Research shows that children’s health behaviors are linked with the behaviors of those closest to them, namely parents or other caregivers. Children are like sponges- they take in the sights and sounds around them to form their own habits that eventually develop into lifelong behaviors. That’s why it’s so important for adults to set the precedent for healthy living now, so that future generations have healthy role models to learn from. White House Chefs Share Weight Loss Secrets on Today Show Looking for some proof that making small changes in your diet and exercise routine can have big results on your waistline? The Today show interviewed three White House staffers who have whittled their middles by making smart choices about what they drink, and what they snack on during the day. Each of them says they were inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign. San Antonio Among the Top Three U.S. Cities with School Salad Bars: Effort Supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative San Antonio kids get a positive addition to their new school year with salad bars in their school cafeterias thanks to the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools program. The San Antonio Mayor’s Fitness Council, the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) and the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools program are working together to promote healthy school meals to fight obesity. Ground-Breaking Partnership Brings Rachael Ray Recipe to Chicago Student Lunches One of USDA’s most important missions is providing healthy meals to school lunch programs across the country. In a unique partnership, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) agencies teamed up with Rachael Ray’s Yum-o! non-profit organization, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system and Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality to create and serve a new healthy, tasty, and exciting school lunch recipe. Fishing Derby Helps Kids with Special Needs Move Outside! What better way to enjoy the outdoors than with a day of fishing! Earlier this summer, about 45 children with special needs enjoyed a day-long fishing derby at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Leetown Science Center in Leetown, West Virginia. For more than 30 years, this facility in the panhandle of West Virginia has been open for children with special needs to fish and get outside. Denver Kicks Off First Official “Ciclovia” Denver’s leaders decided to take the Let’s Move! mission to its own streets by holding its first official “ciclovia” in August. A Spanish term meaning “bike parkway,” a ciclovia is a one-day street closure aimed at encouraging physical activity and fostering civic pride. Approximately 7,500 people, including prominent city leaders, turned out for Viva Streets.     Contact the White House The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 202-456-1111