ORLANDO MAGIC MASCOT GETS A LUNCH BOX MAKEOVER

by Janice Banks
Stuff the Magic Dragon, mascot of the Orlando Magic basketball team, recently received a healthy lunch box makeover with fresh vegetables harvested from Orlando Junior Academy’s (OJA) Edible Schoolyard (ESY) Garden in exchange for his normal fare of hot dogs and nachos.
He donned an apron to visit the ESY nutritional science lab and tasted fresh produce students prepared as part of their integrated curriculum. On hand to greet Stuff were OJA alumnus Ken Bradley, Winter Park mayor and CEO of Florida Hospital Winter Park; and his wife, Ruth, a licensed dietician.
During a student assembly led by Mission: FIT Possible, a Healthy 100 Kids initiative sponsored by Florida Hospital for Children, the Mission: FIT “edutainers” highlighted the importance of fueling the body with healthy food. Students taught Stuff the importance of movement by leading him through a Just-A-Minute routine.
Principal Nicole Agbonkhese explains, “Stuff has previously visited our campus for traditional Pep Rallies, but today we’re celebrating God’s provisions and OJA’s commitment to healthy living, and we thought Stuff would enjoy sharing in the bounty.”
Teachers and administrators interested in extending their classroom to the garden or kitchen may register to attend OJA’s Edible Schoolyard Academy this summer, June 12-13, through the Edible Schoolyard OJA page on Facebook.