June 12, 2014 | 4:35 | Public Domain
This week, the President commemorated the 70th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, hosted his first Tumblr event, and spoke to graduates of Worcester Technical High School.
June 12, 2014 | 38:35 | Public Domain
The First Lady joins Let's Move! Executive Director Sam Kass and a group of students to harvest the White House kitchen garden.
State Dining Room
3:37 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: Hey, guys. (Applause.) Well, it’s good to have you here. I want to find out, first of all, how many kids were here for the planting? Was everybody here? Because I know I see some familiar faces and some new faces. And I promised you then that you were going to come back and we were going to harvest. Now, the weather isn’t as good as we wanted it to be, although Sam thinks we still should be outside. But I just wanted to make sure that no one was struck by lightning, so we’re inside today.
So you guys went out to the garden, right? You got to see it before coming in. Didn't it look really different from what it looked like when you planted it? You see how much those vegetables have grown? It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?
And I’ve been looking after it. I’ve been going down there every night after dinner with the dogs and with the President, and we’ve been making sure that everything is turning out okay. But you guys did an awesome job in helping us plant, so now we get to experience the fruits of our labor. So I’m really happy that you guys could come back. I’m really proud of you all. You all make our Kitchen Garden possible.
And you guys are the reason why we’re doing this. You see all these wonderful people up here, these leaders in nutrition, our Secretary of Agriculture who has made your school lunches possible? The reason we’re doing this, and the reason this First Lady is so passionate about these issues is because of these kids.
For millions of kids in this country, their main source of nutrition comes from the food that they get in their schools. And we are paying billions of dollars to invest in that food as taxpayers. And as a result, it’s up to us to make sure that these kids get the best food that they can get into their stomachs because it’s not just about nutrition, it’s about their academic success.
We know that kids who have nutritious foods, vegetables and fruits, they do better in school. They have better disciplinary outcomes. They have higher test scores. So we simply can't afford to say, oh, well, it’s too hard so let’s not do it.
And as this First Lady will tell you, I’m going to fight until the bitter end to make sure that every kid in this country continues to have the best nutrition that they can have in our schools, because these kids, all of these kids are worth it. And you’re going to see -- yes, indeed. (Applause.) They are absolutely worth it.
And you’re going to see firsthand what happens when kids are involved in the process. Because every time we harvest, we have kids who are enthusiastic about planting, harvesting, prepping and eating. There are ways to make this fun and interesting for kids, and it doesn't require being at the White House. This just happens to be a nice perk.
All of these schools have gardens of their own. All of these schools in this area are finding ways to incorporate healthy foods into their lunches. It is doable.
For the schools that are struggling, we have an entire agency who is ready to lend a hand to figure out how can we help you. But at the end, what we have to remember is that this fight is about our kids.
So are you guys ready to show these folks how to eat healthy, how to prepare food, and how to make a great salad, and that kids actually enjoy healthy food that's good for them? Are you guys ready to prove that point today?
CHILDREN: Yes.
MRS. OBAMA: Can we hear it? I can't hear you.
CHILDREN: Yes!
MRS. OBAMA: All right, well, let’s get started. Let’s move. Let’s get it done.
END
3:40 P.M. EDT
First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a Twitter chat to discuss school nutrition and the White House Kitchen Garden, in the First Lady's Office in the East Wing of the White House, June 12, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)
Millions of kids across America are eating healthier school meals because of new nutrition standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Today at 2:30 p.m. ET, the First Lady held a Twitter Q&A to help raise awareness around the importance of our kids eating healthy and getting the nutrition they need.
Check out the First Lady’s answers to your questions on school nutrition here or at Storify.gov/FLOTUS, and learn more about the First Lady's initiative to encourage healthy eating at Letsmove.gov/eat-healthy.
The White House
Office of the First Lady
State Dining Room
3:37 P.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: Hey, guys. (Applause.) Well, it’s good to have you here. I want to find out, first of all, how many kids were here for the planting? Was everybody here? Because I know I see some familiar faces and some new faces. And I promised you then that you were going to come back and we were going to harvest. Now, the weather isn’t as good as we wanted it to be, although Sam thinks we still should be outside. But I just wanted to make sure that no one was struck by lightning, so we’re inside today.
So you guys went out to the garden, right? You got to see it before coming in. Didn't it look really different from what it looked like when you planted it? You see how much those vegetables have grown? It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?
And I’ve been looking after it. I’ve been going down there every night after dinner with the dogs and with the President, and we’ve been making sure that everything is turning out okay. But you guys did an awesome job in helping us plant, so now we get to experience the fruits of our labor. So I’m really happy that you guys could come back. I’m really proud of you all. You all make our Kitchen Garden possible.
And you guys are the reason why we’re doing this. You see all these wonderful people up here, these leaders in nutrition, our Secretary of Agriculture who has made your school lunches possible? The reason we’re doing this, and the reason this First Lady is so passionate about these issues is because of these kids.
For millions of kids in this country, their main source of nutrition comes from the food that they get in their schools. And we are paying billions of dollars to invest in that food as taxpayers. And as a result, it’s up to us to make sure that these kids get the best food that they can get into their stomachs because it’s not just about nutrition, it’s about their academic success.
We know that kids who have nutritious foods, vegetables and fruits, they do better in school. They have better disciplinary outcomes. They have higher test scores. So we simply can't afford to say, oh, well, it’s too hard so let’s not do it.
And as this First Lady will tell you, I’m going to fight until the bitter end to make sure that every kid in this country continues to have the best nutrition that they can have in our schools, because these kids, all of these kids are worth it. And you’re going to see -- yes, indeed. (Applause.) They are absolutely worth it.
And you’re going to see firsthand what happens when kids are involved in the process. Because every time we harvest, we have kids who are enthusiastic about planting, harvesting, prepping and eating. There are ways to make this fun and interesting for kids, and it doesn't require being at the White House. This just happens to be a nice perk.
All of these schools have gardens of their own. All of these schools in this area are finding ways to incorporate healthy foods into their lunches. It is doable.
For the schools that are struggling, we have an entire agency who is ready to lend a hand to figure out how can we help you. But at the end, what we have to remember is that this fight is about our kids.
So are you guys ready to show these folks how to eat healthy, how to prepare food, and how to make a great salad, and that kids actually enjoy healthy food that's good for them? Are you guys ready to prove that point today?
CHILDREN: Yes.
MRS. OBAMA: Can we hear it? I can't hear you.
CHILDREN: Yes!
MRS. OBAMA: All right, well, let’s get started. Let’s move. Let’s get it done.
END
3:40 P.M. EDT
The White House
Office of the First Lady
Washington, DC – Today, First Lady Michelle Obama, Epicurious, the Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture announced the winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy lunches as part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative. Winners representing all U.S. states, three territories, and the District of Columbia will attend a Kids' “State Dinner” at the White House hosted by Mrs. Obama on July 18. The 54 children will join the First Lady for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes, followed by a visit to the White House Kitchen Garden.
For the third consecutive year, the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' "State Dinner" invited a parent or guardian to work with their child ages 8-12 to create a lunchtime recipe that is healthy, affordable, original, and delicious. In support of Let’s Move!, launched by the First Lady to help address the problem of childhood obesity, each recipe adhered to the guidance that supports USDA’s MyPlate (at ChooseMyPlate.gov) to ensure that the criteria of a healthy meal were met. Entries had to represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up roughly half the plate or recipe.
The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, originated by Epicurious to promote healthy eating among America’s youth, received more than 1,500 entries this year featuring wholesome, tasty ingredients, including salmon, black beans, and ground turkey. The winners and featured recipes include:
The winners were chosen by a panel of judges that included: Sam Kass, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition; Tanya Steel, Epicurious’ Special Projects Contributor and originator of the contest; Jackie Haven M.S., R.D., Deputy Director, USDA; Deborah Friendly, General Attorney Office of the General Counsel, USED; Chef Linton Hopkins, consulting chef for Delta Air Lines, and two Washington, D.C.-based children who are graduates of Share our Strength’s Cooking Matters program.
The full list of winners and recipes can be found online at recipechallenge.epicurious.com. Additionally, a free downloadable and printable e-cookbook of the winning recipes, including nutritional analyses and photos, will be available in July at the contest site, epicurious.com, letsmove.gov, USDA.gov, and Ed.gov. Travel to Washington D.C. for the winners and their families of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' "State Dinner" is provided by Delta Air Lines.
“I am looking forward to hosting the winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge here at the White House for the third annual Kids’ ‘State Dinner,’” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This event gives us the opportunity to showcase healthy creations from talented kid chefs from across our country, and I can’t wait to see—and taste—this year’s selections.”
“Epicurious is proud to work with Mrs. Obama on this program, raising awareness about the importance of healthy eating, and showing kids that cooking is creative and meaningful for their futures,” says Carolyn Kremins, SVP and General Manager of Epicurious. “It’s clear that kids palates and cooking skills are getting increasingly sophisticated, even at the young age of 8.”
“The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to help kids build healthy habits. First Lady Michelle Obama, through the Let’s Move! Initiative, offers another shining example of how we can mobilize public and private sector resources to improve the lives of our children,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The decisions parents make to keep their kids healthy often start with the meals made at home. Young people who participate in this challenge and are inspired by MyPlate encourage other children to eat healthier and build food preparation skills that will influence their food decisions into adulthood.”
Today, millions of kids across America are eating better school meals because of healthier lunch standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Thanks to the hard work of school chefs and food service workers around the country, 90 percent of our schools are now meeting modern nutrition standards -- and the USDA is working to provide greater flexibility and more assistance to help the remaining schools catch up.
As part of her Let's Move! initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama has helped raise awareness around the importance of our kids eating healthy and getting the nutrition they need -- and now she's taking to Twitter to answer your questions.
Tomorrow, Thursday, June 12, at 2:30 p.m. ET, join the First Lady for a Twitter Q&A on school nutrition and healthy school lunches on her Twitter handle, @FLOTUS.
Here are the details:
Learn more about the First Lady's initiative to encourage healthy eating at Letsmove.gov/eat-healthy, and then join the First Lady for a Twitter chat on @FLOTUS on Thursday, June 12 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The White House
Office of the First Lady
Washington, DC – Today, First Lady Michelle Obama, Epicurious, the Department of Education, and the Department of Agriculture announced the winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy lunches as part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative. Winners representing all U.S. states, three territories, and the District of Columbia will attend a Kids' “State Dinner” at the White House hosted by Mrs. Obama on July 18. The 54 children will join the First Lady for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes, followed by a visit to the White House Kitchen Garden.
For the third consecutive year, the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' "State Dinner" invited a parent or guardian to work with their child ages 8-12 to create a lunchtime recipe that is healthy, affordable, original, and delicious. In support of Let’s Move!, launched by the First Lady to help address the problem of childhood obesity, each recipe adhered to the guidance that supports USDA’s MyPlate (at ChooseMyPlate.gov) to ensure that the criteria of a healthy meal were met. Entries had to represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up roughly half the plate or recipe.
The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, originated by Epicurious to promote healthy eating among America’s youth, received more than 1,500 entries this year featuring wholesome, tasty ingredients, including salmon, black beans, and ground turkey. The winners and featured recipes include:
The winners were chosen by a panel of judges that included: Sam Kass, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition; Tanya Steel, Epicurious’ Special Projects Contributor and originator of the contest; Jackie Haven M.S., R.D., Deputy Director, USDA; Deborah Friendly, General Attorney Office of the General Counsel, USED; Chef Linton Hopkins, consulting chef for Delta Air Lines, and two Washington, D.C.-based children who are graduates of Share our Strength’s Cooking Matters program.
The full list of winners and recipes can be found online at recipechallenge.epicurious.com. Additionally, a free downloadable and printable e-cookbook of the winning recipes, including nutritional analyses and photos, will be available in July at the contest site, epicurious.com, letsmove.gov, USDA.gov, and Ed.gov. Travel to Washington D.C. for the winners and their families of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids' "State Dinner" is provided by Delta Air Lines.
“I am looking forward to hosting the winners of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge here at the White House for the third annual Kids’ ‘State Dinner,’” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “This event gives us the opportunity to showcase healthy creations from talented kid chefs from across our country, and I can’t wait to see—and taste—this year’s selections.”
“Epicurious is proud to work with Mrs. Obama on this program, raising awareness about the importance of healthy eating, and showing kids that cooking is creative and meaningful for their futures,” says Carolyn Kremins, SVP and General Manager of Epicurious. “It’s clear that kids palates and cooking skills are getting increasingly sophisticated, even at the young age of 8.”
“The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to help kids build healthy habits. First Lady Michelle Obama, through the Let’s Move! Initiative, offers another shining example of how we can mobilize public and private sector resources to improve the lives of our children,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The decisions parents make to keep their kids healthy often start with the meals made at home. Young people who participate in this challenge and are inspired by MyPlate encourage other children to eat healthier and build food preparation skills that will influence their food decisions into adulthood.”
The White House
Office of the First Lady
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Washington, DC * 3:30 PM – The First Lady will join local students and school nutrition directors from across the country to harvest the summer crop from the White House Kitchen Garden. In 2009, Mrs. Obama planted a vegetable garden on the South Lawn to initiate a national conversation around the health and wellbeing of our nation—a conversation that evolved into her Let’s Move! initiative. Since Mrs. Obama launched Let’s Move! in 2010, parents, business leaders, educators, elected officials, military leaders, chefs, physicians, athletes, childcare providers, community and faith leaders, and kids themselves have stepped up to improve the health of our nation’s children. And thanks to these efforts, we are moving toward a healthier new norm all across the country.
To help with this summer’s harvest, the First Lady invited local school children whose schools are successfully implementing national school lunch standards. Children from these Washington, D.C. schools joined Mrs. Obama in April for the spring garden planting and will now have the opportunity to harvest the produce they recently planted:
Mrs. Obama is also inviting school nutrition directors from Orlando, FL, Dallas, TX, and West Virginia to participate in the harvest. These school nutrition directors have seen success in their new school lunch programs thanks to the standards put in place by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Today, thanks to the hard work of school chefs, food service providers, and school nutrition directors across the country, 90 percent of schools are now meeting modern nutrition standards, including the schools in attendance at the harvest. Because of these improvements, consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains has significantly increased, and over 600,000 kids are now getting a nutritious breakfast. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has provided greater flexibility and is working to give more assistance to help the remaining schools meet these standards.
The following school nutrition directors will participate in this summer’s garden harvest:
This event will be livestreamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live.
Ed. note: The full version of this op-ed is posted at Education Week. Read the full version here.
As first lady, I've spent a lot of time talking with young people all across the country about education. I've heard about their hopes of going to college, getting good jobs, and one day starting families of their own. And I've also heard about the challenges they're facing—the rising costs of tuition, their overstretched school counselors, and the insecurities and fears that come along with being first-generation college students.
My message to these young people is that while all of us adults—teachers, administrators, and policymakers—have to do a better job of giving them the best schools and opportunities for their future, at the end of the day, they also need to step up and take responsibility for their education themselves.
That means going to class every day, setting their goals high, and working like crazy to achieve them. That's been the story of my life and my husband's life, so when I talk to these young people, my hope is that they see that our story can be their story, too—as long as they're willing to dedicate themselves to their education.
Early last month, I officially gave this effort a name and an aspiration—my Reach Higher initiative. And that's really the goal: to inspire young people to reach higher to complete their education beyond high school so that they can own their futures. We're focusing on things like financial aid, college counseling, academic and summer planning, and college visits. Our objective is to ensure that every student in this country understands how to pursue and complete their education, whether it's at a traditional four-year college or a community college, or via a professional certificate or degree.
The White House
Office of the First Lady
Wait Chapel at Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
11:42 A.M. EDT
MRS. OBAMA: Thank you so much. (Applause.) My heart is so full. My heart is so full. Bebe -- Oprah, why did you do that? Just why did you put me after this? (Laughter.)
To the family, Guy, to all of you; to the friends; President Clinton; Oprah; my mother, Cicely Tyson; Ambassador Young -- let me just share something with you. My mother, Marian Robinson, never cares about anything I do. (Laughter.) But when Dr. Maya Angelou passed, she said, you're going, aren't you? I said, well, Mom, I'm not really sure, I have to check with my schedule. She said, you are going, right? (Laughter.) I said, well, I'm going to get back to you but I have to check with the people, figure it out. I came back up to her room when I found out that I was scheduled to go, and she said, that’s good, now I’m happy. (Laughter.)
It is such a profound honor, truly, a profound honor, to be here today on behalf of myself and my husband as we celebrate one of the greatest spirits our world has ever known, our dear friend, Dr. Maya Angelou.
In the Book of Psalms it reads: "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the Earth." What a perfect description of Maya Angelou, and the gift she gave to her family and to all who loved her.
She taught us that we are each wonderfully made, intricately woven, and put on this Earth for a purpose far greater than we could ever imagine. And when I think about Maya Angelou, I think about the affirming power of her words.
The first time I read "Phenomenal Woman", I was struck by how she celebrated black women's beauty like no one had ever dared to before. (Applause.) Our curves, our stride, our strength, our grace. Her words were clever and sassy; they were powerful and sexual and boastful. And in that one singular poem, Maya Angelou spoke to the essence of black women, but she also graced us with an anthem for all women –- a call for all of us to embrace our God-given beauty.
And, oh, how desperately black girls needed that message. As a young woman, I needed that message. As a child, my first doll was Malibu Barbie. (Laughter.) That was the standard for perfection. That was what the world told me to aspire to. But then I discovered Maya Angelou, and her words lifted me right out of my own little head.
Her message was very simple. She told us that our worth has nothing to do with what the world might say. Instead, she said, "Each of us comes from the creator trailing wisps of glory." She reminded us that we must each find our own voice, decide our own value, and then announce it to the world with all the pride and joy that is our birthright as members of the human race.
Dr. Angelou's words sustained me on every step of my journey –- through lonely moments in ivy-covered classrooms and colorless skyscrapers; through blissful moments mothering two splendid baby girls; through long years on the campaign trail where, at times, my very womanhood was dissected and questioned. For me, that was the power of Maya Angelou's words –- words so powerful that they carried a little black girl from the South Side of Chicago all the way to the White House. (Applause.)
And today, as First Lady, whenever the term "authentic" is used to describe me, I take it as a tremendous compliment, because I know that I am following in the footsteps of great women like Maya Angelou. But really, I'm just a beginner -- I am baby-authentic. (Laughter.) Maya Angelou, now she was the original, she was the master. For at a time when there were such stifling constraints on how black women could exist in the world, she serenely disregarded all the rules with fiercely passionate, unapologetic self. She was comfortable in every last inch of her glorious brown skin.
But for Dr. Angelou, her own transition was never enough. You see, she didn't just want to be phenomenal herself, she wanted all of us to be phenomenal right alongside her. (Applause.) So that's what she did throughout her lifetime -– she gathered so many of us under her wing. I wish I was a daughter, but I was right under that wing sharing her wisdom, her genius, and her boundless love.
I first came into her presence in 2008, when she spoke at a campaign rally here in North Carolina. At that point, she was in a wheelchair, hooked up to an oxygen tank to help her breathe. But let me tell you, she rolled up like she owned the place. (Laughter.) She took the stage, as she always did, like she'd been born there. And I was so completely awed and overwhelmed by her presence I could barely concentrate on what she was saying to me.
But while I don't remember her exact words, I do remember exactly how she made me feel. (Applause.) She made me feel like I owned the place, too. She made me feel like I had been born on that stage right next to her. And I remember thinking to myself, "Maya Angelou knows who I am, and she’s rooting for me. So, now I'm good. I can do this. I can do this." (Applause.)
And that's really true for us all, because in so many ways, Maya Angelou knew us. She knew our hope, our pain, our ambition, our fear, our anger, our shame. And she assured us that despite it all –- in fact, because of it all -– we were good. And in doing so, she paved the way for me and Oprah and so many others just to be our good, old, black-woman selves. (Applause.)
She showed us that eventually, if we stayed true to who we are, then the world would embrace us. (Applause.) And she did this not just for black women, but for all women, for all human beings. She taught us all that it is okay to be your regular old self, whatever that is –- your poor self, your broken self, your brilliant, bold, phenomenal self.
That was Maya Angelou's reach. She touched me. She touched all of you. She touched people all across the globe, including a young white woman from Kansas who named her daughter after Maya, and raised her son to be the first black President of the United States. (Applause.)
So when I heard that Dr. Angelou had passed, while I felt a deep sense of loss, I also felt a profound sense of peace. Because there is no question that Maya Angelou will always be with us, because there was something truly divine about Maya. I know that now, as always, she is right where she belongs.
May her memory be a blessing to us all. Thank you. God bless. (Applause.)
END
11:53 A.M. EDT
