Kids State Dinner (Part I)

As I arrived at the Reagan National Airport in Washington DC from Orlando, Florida to attend the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge and Kids State Dinner, I couldn’t help but wonder how much excitement and fun I was going to have! Once I arrived at the hotel, I immediately met winners from the Virgin Islands, Louisiana, Georgia and Wisconsin. They were really cool and fun. I was able to meet the founder of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, Tanya Steel who was so passionate about the event and wanted everyone to feel comfortable. We began the first day by meeting the winners from other states and territories and visiting the Smithsonian American History Museum together. We ended the day by having dinner and participating in a Pay It Forward event where we wrote letters to veterans. We were all able to meet renowned Chef Michel Nischan and the Let’s Move! Executive Director Debra Eschmeyer. Chef Michel Nischan prepared a healthy demonstration for all the winners and talked about his inspiring story and why he changed how he cooks. We were also presented with our very own cookbooks that included every winner’s recipe and we were able to get autographs.

Preparing for the big day meant an early night’s rest and an early morning start. When we arrived at the White House we were able to tour the White House, speak to the First Lady, and hear the First Lady speak before we had a formal lunch in the State Dining Room. We also had a few surprises like the President crashing our lunch and speaking to every winner and a performance from the performers from the Broadway musical Aladdin. We ended with a tour of the White House garden and with a lifetime full of memories that I will never forget!

It’s nice to know that being able to make healthy choices and develop healthy habits has its rewards. The First Lady was very serious about supporting us and encouraging us to help bring healthy changes to our communities. President Barack Obama gave great advice to our table by encouraging us to do great in school and keep eating healthy. I am so motivated to continue to work in my community to raise awareness so that more students have access to healthy foods and more students can go out and Fuel Up to Play 60!

Bobby
National Ambassador
8th Grade