Healthy Choice

By: Katrina Segers, staff writer

Ben McCall/Sun Photo. During the Dedication of Johnson County Community College's new unheated greenhouse, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius helps preschooler Kylie Brewer, 5, Belton, plant a blueberry bush May 8 at the Hiersteiner Child Development Center Edible Schoolyard, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park.

Johnson County Community College ideas are efflorescent.

On May 8, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius attended the dedication of the Edible Schoolyard at JCCC’s Hiersteiner Child Development Center. The garden is part of the Wysong Initiatives to support the JCCC hospitality management program.

State Sen. David Wysong, R-Mission Hills, said he supports education and looked for a way to support the college.

“I told them I was interested in a couple of projects in the school. I looked to do something in the school about obesity and nutrition, helping the international culinary team and any facility upgrades,” he said. “From that we put together a major report which was called the Wysong Initiatives.”

The initiatives include The Master Chef Guest Lecture Series, continuing education culinary courses for the community, the television series “Cooking with Class,” the JCCC Culinary Team and Health Through Food.

The Edible Schoolyard is part of Health Through Food. The project is an example of how schools and culinary programs can partner to support healthier school lunches and snacks.

The initiative also partners JCCC with Kansas State University to create a sustainable agriculture entrepreneurship certificate program, which has already received a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program will expand the availability of locally grown food by training new growers and improving current growers’ skills in agriculture and business.

Wysong kicked off the challenge with $750,000. He and his wife, Kathy, have agreed to match donations dollar for dollar through the Wysong Family Foundation.

Contact Katrina Segers at 385-6011 or katrinasegers@sunpublications.com.