KORE Detective Goals
Goal: Make school a healthier place for everybody.

PART 1: Identify the problem areas first.
Invite your friends to first STOP AND THINK with you. Together, explore the questions below:

• Do the school grounds have healthy soil?
  Example: Is the soil healthy outside on the soccer field? Or in the flowerbeds? Could students start a school garden if they decided to? Are students aware that healthy soil is really important? Does the school have a composting program?
• Does the school serve healthy food?
• How is the cafeteria food? What do most kids eat at lunchtime–either in their lunch bags or on the cafeteria trays? Are there a lot of vending machines that sell unhealthy foods in the hallways? Is there any way to reduce and recycle food trash on the school grounds?
• Are the kids (and teachers) as healthy as they can be?
• Do other students know much about nutrition, getting daily activity, and preventing diseases by paying attention to the food that they put into their bodies?
• What are the main problems—or what could be improved?

There are always a couple of small action steps that can be taken to make personal health better immediately. Investigate the questions above, then choose one problem to tackle.

PART 2: Pick a problem and explore some solutions.
Let’s say you pick "Improve the cafeteria" as a main goal. Here are some ideas for solving specific problems.

ACTION STEPS

1. Problem: There’s only one giant trash can for everything in the cafeteria.
   Solution: Present ideas to separate the trash and recycle to the cafeteria manager.
   
   
2. Problem: Right now, only the teachers can eat at the salad bar. The kids have to go through the regular lunch line
   Solution: Petition through your school to get a salad bar for kids. Get your parents involved.
   
   
3. Problem: Most of the vegetables are served from huge cans and are cooked with added margarine and salt.
   Solution: Convince menu planners to offer more fresh vegetables in the lunch line.
   
   
4. Problem: The food served in the line are processed and always the same.
   Solution:: Ask if your school would consider buying organic produce and bread or at least locally grown produce. Explain to them how much healthier these would be.
   
   
5. Problem:: The school cafeteria doesn't offer options for the kids who do not eat meat.
   Solution: Request better food choices for non-meat eaters–like veggie burgers, or hummus and pita, and fish dishes.)
   
   
6. Problem: Most kids get their meals from a vending machine in the hallway.
   Solution: Create a list to give ideas for healthy, affordable foods to pack in a lunch bag and distribute it through your school.