ABC (2009-11) (5회)

[charliek]

STORY 10. HEALTHY CHOICE

CHARLES GIBSON: An influential health group today called for an overhaul of the nation's school lunches.  The Institute of Medicine says to combat obesity schools should be serving more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and cut down on fat and sodium and set maximum calorie levels for meals.  But that's expensive.  Tonight, Dr Richard Besser, on how Baltimore schools are trying to do that cheaply.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: This probably isn't the lunchroom lasagna you were served.  Vegetarian with whole wheat flour pasta.

LUNCH ROOM WORKER (BALTIMORE SCHOOL): Broccoli, mixed veggies, fresh fruit.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: It's meatless Monday at Lake Clifton High School where Tony Geraci is leading a school lunch revolution.

TONY GERACI (FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR): Our kids are on this collision course of bad health and it has a lot to do with what they eat.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: There are nearly 84,000 students in Baltimore public schools.  3 out of every 4 get free or reduced lunch.  A third of all students are overweight.  Geraci puts part of the blame on the traditional school lunch menu.  Processed foods shipped across the country and loaded with empty calories and little nutritional value.

TONY GERACI: It's horrible stuff.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: In the last 20 years, the national rate of childhood obesity has tripled.  Geraci has revamped school lunches in one of the nation's toughest urban areas, with one restriction - he couldn't spend a penny more to do it.  He added more fresh produce from local growers, cutting down on transportation costs.  And he introduced meatless Mondays in all 218 schools.  A first for a US public school system.

LYNNISE BRIDDELL (CAFETERIA MANAGER): Every day it was pizza and chicken patties, pizza and chicken patties, so this year our food is a whole lot better.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: Geraci says it's not just about the food on the tray.  He wants to change kids' relationship with food.

TEACHER (BALTIMORE PUBLIC SCHOOL): Does everybody have their gloves on?

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: Now the school has three greenhouses where kids do everything from planting seeds to harvesting produce.  Last week, a preschool class planted baby collard greens.  And then there is the 33 acre farm donated to the school system.  A sort of learning lab and test kitchen for kids.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: Did the kids plant this?

TONY GERACI: Kids planted everything here.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: Is it working?  Yes, says Geraci.  But take it from the students themselves.

STUDENT (BALTIMORE PUBLIC SCHOOL): I started going home making salads and smoothies.

DOCTOR RICHARD BESSER: Better food creating better habits, a simple recipe that Geraci says can be made anywhere.  Dr Richard Besser, ABC News, Baltimore, Maryland.

STORY 11. PULLING THEIR WEIGHT

CHARLES GIBSON: A little earlier in the broadcast we reported on some sobering new numbers about poverty in America which takes such a heavy toll on children.  Well, tonight, Neal Karlinsky in Washington State has a report on relief from hardships in the most unlikely of places.

NEAL KARLINSKY: 14-year-old Kiara Riggins spends a lot of time riding the bus.  Her neighborhood can be a tough one, and her mother is on disability.  Yet, five days a week, Kiara puts herself through a grueling workout for a sport she says she never even heard of until recently.

KIARA RIGGINS (STUDENT): No, when I heard of rowing, I really didn't know what it was.  I thought it was like probably canoeing.

NEAL KARLINSKY: Rowing is a sport steeped in tradition.  A sport of stamina, strength and in most cases, money.  Coach Carla Landis, who spent the last six years coaching college teams, got together with a group called Rainer Valley Rowing to change that.

CARLA LANDIS (COACH): Push that right hand forward.

NEAL KARLINSKY: With the help of donations, they've started a program to put disadvantaged kids into these boats and make them part of a sport Coach Landis believes can teach them a lot about teamwork and discipline.

CARLA LANDIS: Rowing is not something that would fit in their life if Rainer Valley rowing did not exist because it's too expensive.  It's too hard to get to practice, and there are too many components that are unfamiliar.

NEAL KARLINSKY: Ken Mohammed comes from a big family, with little money.  He spends hours on three city buses every day just to get here.

KEN MOHAMMED (STUDENT): This sport it takes a lot.  It's a lot of control, balance, patience and teamwork.

NEAL KARLINSKY: The fact that none of these kids had any experience going in is a given, but some of them were so unfamiliar on the water, they didn't even know how to swim and are getting lessons as part of the program.  Kiara's mother says she never imagined having a rower in the family.

SANDRA RIGGINS (KIARA RIGGINS' MOTHER): I definitely didn't think we could be a part of this sport.  It seems for rich kids to do something like this.

CARLA LANDIS: Have your whole port side take one stroke.

NEAL KARLINSKY: On these boats, money and background doesn't count for much.  To be a teammate here, you must work hard, but most importantly, row as one.  Neal Karlinsky, ABC News, Seattle.