On September 22nd, Monterey Highlands Elementary celebrated its annual Salad Bowl ceremony, an event that promotes healthy eating habits and lifestyle for students. This year’s theme was “Hawaiian luau”, which added a spirited atmosphere to the event and prompted students and teachers to dress in their best Hawaiian shirts, dresses and leis. With the entire student body gathered in the pavilion shortly after the morning bell, Highlands Principal Debbie Kotani kicked off the ceremony with a introduction of several distinct guests which included AUSD Board Members Jane Anderson, Assistant Superintendent Gary Gonzales and members of the Monterey Park Fire Department, all of which were greeted with roaring applause from the eager students.
After a brief series of rally songs and chants led by Highlands’s faculty and staff, it was then time to gather the special invitees up to the stage to create a delicious salad for all to enjoy. In a salad bowl measuring 6 ft. in diameter, the selected invitees poured the ingredients, which included lettuce, cabbage, carrots and croutons. Once ingredients were mixed with massive wooden sticks, the salad was served to the Highlands students’ for lunch.
Students came away thoroughly impressed with the quality of the salad, which opened their minds to the concept that healthy food can also be quite tasty, which of course was the overall goal of the event. The hope for Highlands moving forward is that while students realistically are not going to eat salad on a regular basis, they will become more conscious about proper nutrition and the benefits of healthy eating.