Team HCCA Energizes and Inspires at 2025 Maine School Nutrition Conference
On Tuesday, August 12, 2025, Sarah Young (CHES Ⓡ), HEAL Coordinator for Healthy Communities of the Capital Area, delivered an inspiring and high-energy presentation entitled "Smarter Lunchrooms: Nudging Students Toward Healthier Choices" at the 2025 Maine School Nutrition Conference that left a lasting impression on attendees and sparked action across districts statewide.
With over 55 participants in attendance, Sarah’s session on creating smarter, more engaging school lunchrooms wasn’t just well-attended—it was a standout. Her unique blend of expertise, passion, and infectious positivity resonated with attendees from the very start.
Following her presentation, 30 participants remained to complete the Smarter Lunchroom Scorecard, a valuable assessment tool used to evaluate and enhance the student experience in school cafeterias. In addition to guiding attendees through the scorecard, Sarah provided contact information for all MPN districts, helping to strengthen connections between schools and MPN staff and encouraging ongoing collaboration and support.
Attendees from the discussion expressed excitement about bringing the scorecard back to their teams to kickstart changes in their own schools.
Feedback from participants highlighted the impact of Sarah’s approach:
“Your energy is contagious! Very engaging.”
“Wonderful presentation, and posed a few new ideas that I’ll bring back to my team.”
“This was really helpful! I’m going to start recruiting students to help with cafeteria artwork and menus.”
“You are so bubbly and positive - definitely one of the more entertaining presentations I’ve been to today.”
One attendee summed up the sentiment in the room perfectly:
“The Augusta School District is so blessed to know Sarah—she is a wealth of knowledge and her passion is contagious!”
Sarah’s dedication to fostering healthier school environments continues to spark creativity, teamwork, and student involvement across the region. Her presence at the conference was not only informative—it was energizing, motivating participants to bring new ideas and renewed enthusiasm back to their schools.
To learn more about Healthy Eating & Active Living Programs, please message Sarah at s.young@hccame.org.