That’s a Wrap - Helena, Mont. Fourth-Grader Wows America to Win Sodexo’s Future Chefs: Healthy Snack Challenge

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Gaithersburg, Md. - March 31, 2011 - Dulcie Robertson, 9, a fourth-grader from the Helena School District in Montana won Sodexo’s first-ever Future Chefs: Healthy Snack Challenge, a nationwide program that teaches students about good nutrition and encourages them to make healthy choices by creating their own nutritious snack recipes. Robertson won the national challenge when the video for her yummy Dulcie’s Wrap Duo, received the most votes on the program’s YouTube page.

Students from 342 Sodexo-served schools across the country submitted more than 2600 healthy snack recipes for the program. Robertson and four others were selected to participate in the finals and all five students made videos of their award-winning recipes which were posted on http://www.youtube.com/user/SodexoFutureChefs.   Online voting was open for two weeks before Robertson emerged as the winner. The videos were viewed more than 18,100 times over the two-week period, bringing these amazing students and their fun, healthy and delicious snack recipes to a much broader audience.   “It’s cool knowing that kids and parents all over America saw my video and liked my recipe enough to vote for me,” said Dulcie Robertson. “I really love cooking and I’m proud to be the Future Chefs’ champion!”   The four other students joining Robertson in the national finals were:   ·         Safiya Armstrong, 9 - Putnam City School District in Oklahoma City, Okla. ·         Sam Chamberlain, 11 - San Jose Unified School District in San Jose, Calif. ·         Jillian Shurtleff, 9 - West Warwick Public School District in West Warwick, R.I. ·         Katelyn Silverthorn, 9 - Dearborn Heights School District No. 7 in Dearborn Heights, Mich.   “I commend Dulcie and the other finalists on a job well done. Their videos were absolutely fantastic and I was blown away by the creativity and talent demonstrated by the recipes they created,” said Steve Dunmore, president of Sodexo Education-Schools. “We are a student well-being focused company and it is our job to make healthy eating fun for students of all ages. The Future Chefs: Healthy Snack Challenge connected with kids in a new and exciting way and we look forward to making it even bigger and better next year.”   Sodexo, a partner in First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative, has been hosting similar student culinary competitions in districts for years and the Future Chefs: Healthy Snack Challenge marks the first time the company made it a national event. The company is committed to take measurable sustainable actions that ensure a brighter future in the areas of health and wellness, environmental stewardship and community development. Sodexo focuses on nutrition, achievement, environment, community and activity to promote student well-being.   About Sodexo   Sodexo in North America Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On Site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $15 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.   Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo’s 380,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of On-site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.   Key Figures (as of August 31, 2010)   Sodexo in the World 15.3 billion euro consolidated revenue 380,000 employees 34,000 sites 50 million consumers served daily 80 countries 21^st largest employer worldwide   Sodexo in North America 8.0 billion dollars revenue 120,000 employees 10 million consumers served daily 6,000 clients 700 facilities management sites   SODE12765