Rose, who attended the White House with her mother Jean Lum Hoy, was among 54 children who won the t

Picture this story: A child wins a contest and is awarded with the chance to eat wonderful food, take a tour of a famous building, and meet famous people. No, this is not the plot of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It's the experience of Rose Scott, a 12-year-old Menlo Park girl who dined at the White House on July 9 and met President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Rose, who attended the White House with her mother Jean Lum Hoy, was among 54 children who won the trip by creating recipes for the "Healthy Lunchtime Challenge" contest. The second annual contest, with 1,300 entries, was promoted by Michelle Obama to help stop childhood obesity.
"They do take things seriously," said Ms. Lum Hoy of President Obama and the First Lady, who both appeared at the dinner. "They said to all of the kids, 'You're leaders. Pay it forward.' They care about healthy eating and they're trying to change how kids across America eat."
The dinner was made up of several winning dishes: spring rolls, a barley salad, and mini pizzas with cauliflower crust. Rose met friends from all over the country, including New Hampshire and Arkansas.
"It was such an incredible honor and such a privilege to meet these wonderful children and their parents who really care about their food," Ms. Lum Hoy said. "It was interesting to hear their stories and how they came up with their recipes."
Ms. Lum Hoy's family has been cautious of what they cook due to her 10-year-old son Galen's allergies to wheat and dairy. At her visit to the White House, she heard many other stories of how children got interested in healthy cooking.
"Some have food allergies like my son, some have recipes that they've been making for years, los angeles lakers schedule some parents are chefs," she said. "It was cool to see so many people interested in eating healthy and locally, and see that people care about what goes in their bodies."