What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I eat more vegetables and fruit in a meat entrée.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I walk to work and go to the gym and do 45 minutes of cardio three times a week. In the classroom the kids see my lunch and they don’t see soda, they only see water and fruit. I encourage “Harvest of the Month” and the food pyramid.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I get plenty of sleep, dance, and do cardio kickboxing.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I have an upbeat attitude, passing out the Harvest of the Month information and giving suggestions for what you can do with your class. I am responsible for a nutrition tub in my classroom.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I am more aware that I need to eat a balanced diet. Did I get my five servings per day? Did I drink my water? Being more aware is the largest change.
Ana Bessie Carmichael
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
Include fruits and vegetables in every meal.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
We dance a song, two or three times a week before class begins. We have a walking club once a week.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
Remember to breathe!
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I try to promote healthy eating to my colleagues and students by bringing information about what we are doing as NEPTL’s. For my students we only allow healthy foods in the classroom.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I have made a bigger effort in being physically active. I make sure that I take either a fruit or a salad every day to work.
Charissa F.S. Key
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I have been eating more fruits and vegetables and less red meat.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I have started riding my bike more frequently, and taking lessons on how to swim. In the classroom we do P.E. every day for at least 25 minutes.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I breathe deep, it really helps calm me.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I try to stay healthy by doing my exercises. We hold the biking club once a month, the walking club twice a week and swim classes once a week.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I am definitely more aware of what I eat and how much exercise I get.
Florence Sherman
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I cook light and eat five veggies and fruits a day.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
Personal: Exercising (running) two to three times per week. Classroom: exercising, stretching, running laps with students.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I walk to the beach.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I show my students my lunch all the time, and I make a lot of foods with them and for them. I teach a Chinese cultural class. We try to share a lot of cultural foods so they can see how a lot of the same ingredients are used in these foods. I eat with my colleagues and show them the foods that I eat.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I started exercising more. I joined the YMCA and now I swim two or three times a week.
Janice Cobb
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
Our family has very little “junk food” in the pantry. I love fresh fruits and vegetables so we always have plenty of snacks that are “healthy.”
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
Personal: Walking three to five miles every other day is a serious goal. Classroom: Two to three minutes are used throughout the day to stretch, move and sing.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
Deep breathing, relaxing my shoulders, stopping and taking a moment to get centered, clear my mind and keeping thoughts positive. I also take long walks after work.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I feel like I am a role model because me and my staff are very healthy as far as eating. We bring in healthy foods and talk about what we bring in and the health benefits those foods have.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I am becoming aware of eating more fruits and vegetables. I’m promoting to students in my classroom to try different vegetables. Some of them, I’ve never tried.
Jocelyn E.R. Taylorl
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I try to shop at farmers markets all over the city. I try to eat whole organic foods such as fruits and vegetables, whenever I have to eat meat it’s either fish or chicken.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
In my classroom we practice yoga for about five minutes before break time. At home I just try to do a lot of walking either to school or in the park. Sometimes I like to play tennis, and a long time ago I used to practice Ti Chi.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I like meditating. I close my eyes in a corner and relax. Reading also helps, if I’m into a good book it releases my stress.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I’m currently a NEPTL so I try to eat with the staff during lunch time and they can see that I always eat a lot of vegetables and whole grain food. Also I try to stay away from drinking lots of soda and try to show people just how much sugar is in it. Processed food is extremely bad.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I have become more extreme, before I was not really into being active physically but now I try to exercise at least thirty minutes per day. As far as nutrition, I’m actually more aware of my diet but it was already quite good before.
Karen Jose Ortega
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I try to have five a day and then I bring my fruits and vegetables and put them out on display. It’s kind of like a transitional time and I talk about my lunch.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I love hiking. I go to Muir Woods and Mount Tam. I just love walking and being in nature. In the classroom I do the activities with the kids, running and jumping just to let them know that I want to be healthy too.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
When I see the kids are sitting in the rug area for too long I’ll have them do some stretches or a little dance, maybe even some 30 second breathing activities. If we just move around it helps me and the kids focus on the next activity.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
As a NTPL I try to bring in healthy foods and encourage other teachers to do the activities with me. For example walking around the schoolyard, it’s a great way for us to check in with each other or see what’s on our minds. Also by walking we can get the exercise we need while getting other teachers and colleagues involved too.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I’m more outgoing and willing to take more risk and try new things. I feel like I’m more free and that I get to do the things I like and share it with others.
Lilly Mission Education Center
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I eat fruits and vegetables everyday, mostly in salads. I also drink a lot of water.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I try to dance every day at home. In the classroom we do warm ups with the students and take walks every day.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I meditate every day for at least 15 minutes. Also in the classroom when I have to be really strict I count to ten and take a deep breath.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
My students know that I eat salad every day. As for my colleagues, I try to share my salads with them.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I am more aware about eating junk foods and exercising more. I also pay attention to food labels more in order to monitor what I eat.
Marie E.R. Taylor
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I try to make sure that I eat a lot of whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice. Also I try to eat as many fruits and veggies as I can throughout the day.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
In the classroom I participate in P.E. with the kids. Outside I practice yoga pretty regularly and try to bring that back to the kids, along with walking.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I do yoga for a distress activity, also doing art-based activities such as music and singing. Little art projects such as knitting and crafts.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I know the kids see me eating healthy things, as well as participating in physical activity with them. I like being a model for activities such as yoga for the kids.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I think I have just become more aware. It has made me want to become more healthy because now that I am representing nutrition, I have to live it as well.
Michelle Jose Ortega
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I go to the farmers market, don’t eat meat and try to eat whole grains.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I commute on my bike about 35 minutes to school. In the classroom I do P.E. with my kids and we make up dances to songs sometimes.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
Yoga, I have been doing yoga off and on for a number of years, as well as riding my bike.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
Bike riding and eating healthy and just moving around a lot and being active in front of the kids I think makes me a role model.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
They haven’t really changed since becoming a NEPTL, it’s been really natural for me to be a NEPTL.
Nathan M.X. Academy
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I’m a vegetarian and try to avoid sugary drinks and unhealthy things in general.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I play baseball on the weekends and then after school I play sports in the yard. I play soccer, Frisbee, kickball, anything with the kids.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I like to read, if I’m reading, I’m relaxed. I like playing sports it help me get some energy out of my system.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I think it’s my responsibility to be a model for good behavior, staying active, not eating junk food. You have to let down every once in a while but definitely not in front of the children..
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I wouldn’t say they have changed too much, I’m as physically active as I was before. I am definitely a lot more aware of modeling in front of my colleagues and the kids. Even at home with my own children I try to eat healthy to set a good example.
Richard Sutro Elementary
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I try not to eat too much and eat slowly. I try to add more vegetables and whole grains to my diet but I think it is very important to have time to eat.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
Today I rode my bike to school and I try to ride it at least four times a month. I also enjoy dancing. The third graders are learning a special dance to present to their parents at the end of the year dinner. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from lots of bookwork and just stretch.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I think the most important part for myself is not to react to challenging situations, but rather just take a breath, sit back and consider what I want to do next. I think just having a good diet and lots of exercise in my life makes a big difference.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
What I’ve learned from Maria our nutrition educator, is to show how we can use the Harvest of the Month in different recipes and make it for staff meetings and to share these with the kids.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
It’s more about understanding that change is hard for people and recognizing where people are in terms of nutrition. Wanting to support them towards healthy habits and being patient with them for that process is very important.
Rosalia Mission Ed. Center
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I eat fiber, fruits and vegetables. I like to look at the Harvest of the Month recipes and prepare them.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I enjoy walking on my own and also with the kids at school.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
At home I enjoy gardening and walking. At school, I network with my co-workers and make sure to take my lunch break so I don’t get stressed out.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
As colleagues, we support each other. I try to be a role model for students by sharing cultural similarities such as food and tradition. We maintain a celebration around it.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I started running. I’m excited about working out and becoming an athlete. I want to run in the Bay to Breakers. Keeping this goal in mind keeps me motivated.
Rosario Besse Carmichael
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
I watch my sugar and try to eliminate foods with flour in them.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
In the classroom we do a lot of yoga; exercising and stretching; and energizers. Personally in the fall I took a yoga class with a NEPTL colleague, and in spring I joined a gym with my nutrition coordinator.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
Deep breathing, calm music and walking are my personal favorites. In the classroom I like to turn the lights off in the classroom and take a timeout.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I think they see me active and facilitating the tasting and speaking during my leadership role for the staff PD’s.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I’m eating a lot healthier.
Shawn Leonard R. Flynn
What are some of the ways you try to eat healthy?
We get all of our produce from a local farmers market. We don’t eat fast food. We try to eat a healthy diet.
How do you engage in physical activity (personal/classroom)?
I go to the gym three to four times a week, take my dog on walks on the weekends and I have my kids get up and move around in the classroom at least every half an hour.
What are some stress reduction techniques you’d like to share that you use?
I actually enjoy cleaning when I get stressed. I also like going to the gym and exercising helps because I can take deep breaths.
How do you see yourself as a role model for colleagues and students?
I try to stay positive, active and healthy by bringing healthy foods into the classroom. I eat these healthy foods in front of the children.
How have your personal health habits changed since becoming a NEPTL?
I actually go to the gym more than I did before because being around people that talk about being healthy is kind of addictive. I have also started going to the local farmers market more consistently.
