“Teens
and Junk Food” essay contest is
food for thought for high school students
High
school students will have a chance to sound off on one of the country’s
most talked about issues regarding teens and health in a statewide essay contest
sponsored by the LegiSchool Project, a civic education collaborative between
Sacramento State’s Center for California Studies and the California Legislature.
The “Teens and Junk Food” essay contest is open to high school juniors
and seniors. Ten students will be selected to travel to Sacramento to take part
in a day-long student legislative summit at the State Capitol on Thursday, April
19. Participants will engage state leaders during a student-run press conference,
tour and lunch at the Capitol, visit the California Museum for History, Women
and the Arts and attend a roundtable meeting with the Capitol Press Corps and
legislative staff.
Prompted by statistics showing a significant increase in the prevalence of teen
obesity between 1999 and 2004 and health related problems due to teen obesity
on the rise, lawmakers are responding by addressing the issue of teen eating
habits at school. Recently enacted legislation, which will be phased in beginning
July 1, 2007, calls for a ban on soda sold during the school day, restricts
the sale of food with a high percentage of fats and sugars, and requires the
Department of Health Services to develop a program which makes fruits and vegetables
available to students free of charge.
For the essay contest, students should address the following questions:
What is your position on the current nutrition-related bills – SB 965,
SB 12 and SB 281? Do you support them, or do you feel that the legislature
is “micro-managing” teen eating habits?
Do
you feel limits on junk food in school will improve your overall eating habits,
even outside of school?
What
are your ideas for improving healthy eating habits among teens?
Using
your knowledge of state government, are these ideas viable for the legislative
or executive branches of state government to address?
Essays must be typed, double-spaced, 750 words or less and include the student’s
name, home address, phone number, e-mail, name of high school and teacher who
announced the contest. Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 26 and submitted to:
Sacramento State, Center for California Studies, LegiSchool Essay Contest, 6000
J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819-6081.
