Students Spearhead More Healthful Eating

Throughout the last few years, St. Stephen’s Head Athletic Trainer Kathy Rainey has helped initiate a number of student-led nutritional improvements on campus and increased the full school community’s interest in more healthful eating.

 

In the spring of 2018, members of Student Government listened to their peers and recognized that the demand existed for healthier snack options in the school bookstore. A committee was formed, comprised of Class of 2018 graduates Ava Mouton-Johnston and Allie Goldreyer and current senior Greta Kastner. These three students created a Google Form to survey the interests of both Middle School and Upper School students on specific healthier food choices.

 

Based on the responses they received from 255 students, the committee was able to determine that students wanted healthier food options in the bookstore. After gaining approval from administrators, the committee met with Missie Thorp, bookstore manager. They shared the detailed survey data with Thorp indicating the types of foods that students were interested in purchasing. As a result, Thorp removed some of the unhealthier items loaded with caffeine and sugar and started stocking the bookstore with the requested food choices, including guacamole, hummus, carrot sticks, mozzarella sticks, nutrition bars, baked chips, trail mix, nuts, and apple slices, among others. Students who previously never frequented the bookstore for snacks now visit regularly.

 

Other healthful changes, spearheaded by Head Athletic Trainer Kathy Rainey throughout the last few years, include:

To hear the talk and gain valuable resources and information on disordered eating and proper nutrition amounts for athletes in training, listen to their podcast.