In St. Louis, President Bill Clinton visits Foundation’s school and community programs
In final leg of three-day trip to see Foundation’s work in the United States, President Clinton tells partners who are creating healthier schools, bringing fresh food options to food deserts, and empowering girls through STEM programs to “keep going.”
After successful visits earlier this week to Baltimore and Jacksonville, President Clinton rounded out his tour of Clinton Foundation programs in the United States on Wednesday, Nov. 1, with a trip to St. Louis. Wednesday’s visit highlighted the Clinton Foundation’s partnerships and programs related to food security, youth health care, and empowering girls in STEM.
“One of the healthiest schools I have ever seen”
President Clinton started the day with a trip to Gateway Elementary and Michael Schools — which were recently named to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s 2017 list of America’s Healthiest Schools.
As members of the Alliance’s Healthy Schools Program, Gateway Elementary and Michael Schools have integrated physical activity and healthy meal options into daily routines to improve the health and well-being of their students and staff. With support and guidance from the Alliance’s program manager, the schools have found creative ways to promote health at nearly every turn — from daily morning meditation and exercise breaks to a community garden and healthier breakfast and lunch options.
And, thanks to the dedication of their principal and teachers who applied for a grant to install a water-filtration system in their school, students and parents can be sure that the water they are drinking is lead-free. President Clinton created the space for schools like this to thrive, and because of the Alliance’s work, more than 35,000 schools have created healthier learning environments where students can form healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
In remarks to students at an assembly where they meditated, sang, and recited the pledge of allegiance, President Clinton commended the school, calling it “one of the healthiest schools I have ever seen.”
CGI U alum driving to bring fresher food to St. Louis
President Clinton then visited a community garden and Clinton Global Initiative University Commitment to Action addressing the issue of food insecurity in the St. Louis community. The commitment, MetroMarket Grocery Store-On-Wheels, provides those in the St. Louis community who live in food deserts with access to healthy, fresh, and affordable foods. CGI U commitment-maker and MetroMarket Co-founder Colin Dowling provided a tour of the market. President Clinton boarded the bus, spoke with customers, and bought some fresh coffee to bring home.
To date, MetroMarket has increased access to healthy, affordable food to more than 5,500 people in the St. Louis community.
The bus was also parked today at GoodLife Growing, a reclaimed lot transformed from an out of service gas station into a vibrant, urban garden for the community. GoodLife Growing aims to combat food insecurity in St. Louis by using hydroponic, aquaponic, aeroponic, and other orgranic growth methods to power their produce production.
“Keep Going. The future belongs to you.”
Finally, in his third and final stop of the day, President Clinton was greeted by a robot recently programmed by participants in Girls Inc.’s Eureka! program, which first started in 2010 as a CGI Commitment to Action.
The program served more than 1,400 girls last summer, and brings together girls every Saturday during the school year to cultivate their interest and abilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). President Clinton met with girls who use chemistry to create their own perfume products, coding to activate robots that dance and respond to their commands, and much more.
When asked his message to the girls he met, President Clinton said: “Keep going. The future belongs to you and the more you know it the more you can claim of it.”
