Competition

Celebrating a Competition

From the classroom and into the canteen , involving families and the local supermarket, and with a helping hand from vegetable and fruit growers, Tasmanian school students have created, cooked and shared their Wicked Vegies.
Wicked Vegies grew from a successful school-community partnership at Lauderdale Primary School in 2004 and is now flourishing in schools throughout the state. Wicked Vegies contributed to Tasmanian students' knowledge of the importance of vegetables and fruit, honed skills in food preparation and sowed the seeds of partnerships with others.
Creative and enthusiastic home economics teachers, students, school staff, canteen managers, families, individuals and local businesses came together to grow Wicked Vegies into a successful nutrition-focused project.
Wicked Vegies schools submitted creative entries to the Wicked Vegies Competition to showcase their good work over the past two years.
Creative Competition entries gave our judges the difficult task of choosing the schools that best promoted and supported healthy eating and wellbeing in the school community, including a celebration event. Overall scores were close and finally, four outstanding entries were selected.

And the Winners are:

Lilydale District School Prep to Grade 4 and Year 10 organised: "Healthy Food and Healthy Choices" (curriculum program involving different grade levels) Lunchtime Café (regular, ongoing focus on 'healthy and fresh' food) Celebration: "Kids in the Kitchen" cooking workshop (focus on the importance of vegetables and fruit, healthy weight and wellbeing: students, parents and grandparents joined in)

Lilydale District School teaches the importance of healthy cooking

Oatlands District High School offers taste-testing to promote fresh produce at the local supermarket

Oatlands District High School Year 9 and 10 students organised: "Eat Well Live Well" research assignment (curriculum program focusing on a vegetable or fruit: produce was promoted and products were offered for tasting at the school canteen and in the local supermarket) Celebration: Wicked Vegies afternoon tea (developed products were shared among students, staff and family members. A students' recipe book was also promoted)

Riverside High School Years 8, 9 and 10 organised: Wicked Vegies Pizzas (focus on using more vegetables and fruit) Fruit & Vegetable Boost (promoting healthy food choices in the canteen) Celebration during Nutrition Week - "Falling in Love with Fruit and Vegetables": (a whole school focus on enjoying more vegetables and fruit)

Riverside High School promotes healthy food choices with Fruit Boost

Scotch Oakburn College served up hot roasted vegies to promote healthier eating habits

Scotch Oakburn College , Kings Meadows Years 7,8,9,10 and staff organised: "Lets do Lunch Wicked Vegies Style" (Year 10 developed and promoted healthy recipes, created and sold healthy snacks and meals) Wicked Vegies Staff Professional Development Day (The Wicked Vegies team presented health and wellbeing in the school's curriculum, with a Wicked Vegies focus) Boarding House (Increased use of fresh produce with a wider variety of vegetables and fruit on the menu) Tuckshop (policy development with focus on more healthy food options) School Vegetable Garden (Year 8 environmental science program and Year 7-8 Healthy Eating Program involved in the development of the garden - ongoing program) Celebration: Wicked Vegies Lunch (Year 9s hosted a party with a Year 1 class. Focus on healthy food options and older students 'buddying up' with younger students)

A huge thank you to all the schools that participated in Wicked Vegies. A Wicked Vegies School Pack was given to every school who participated in the project.
The four Wicked Vegies Competition winners received fabulous prizes for their super efforts. Well done and thank you to all schools that entered the competition.
Wicked Vegies is an exciting and innovative project that has inspired many students, teachers and community members to enjoy healthy eating. The experiences gained will add to the development and sustainability of Wicked Vegies into the future.
Valued and appreciated support has been given by partners : Eat Well Tasmania, the Department of Education, the Heart Foundation Tasmania , the Community Nutrition Unit and the Home Economics Institute of Australia , Tasmanian Branch, Fruit Growers Tasmania, Your Habitat, Salamanca Fresh Fruit Market, Fullers Bookshop and the Tasmanian Community Fund.

Glen Paley
Wicked Vegies Project Officer
Cancer Council Tasmania
December 2007