Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Denise Wooley
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
The Cooperative Extension Service teamed up with the Adventures summer program at Reidland Elementary during the month of July to focus on health and fitness. The students learned about MyPlate, how to identify fruits vs vegetables, how to choose healthy snacks and what counts as physical activity. The LEAP was utilized as well as supporting materials from the SNAP program. The program reached 53 children.46 children grades K-2 who could identify vegetables48 children grades K-2 who could identi
Author: Amanda Wilson
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
~~On July 25, 2017, the class of Boys and Girls Club met at McCracken County Extension Office to enjoy a meal featuring vegetables they grew in straw bales at the Club. This meal finished their special summer event. This program began when Agent for 4H, Agent for Horticulture and Club Director of Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club brainstormed about how to use a grant to the Club in the amount of $500.00 designed to fund a garden activity for the children’s program during the summ
Author: Kelli Bonifer
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Super Star Chef Day CampWith the growing number of families eating on the run instead of cooking at home many young adults don’t receive needed basic cooking skills. Also approximately 4 out of 5 children do not consume the recommended fruits and vegetables each day. In an effort to encourage more youth to get into the kitchen and to improve their diets the Adair County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and the University of Kentucky SNAP-ED Program teamed up to offer a 3-day Super
Author: Mary Higginbotham
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
In an effort to promote and increase fruit and vegetable consumption among local youth the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent partnered with the UK Nutrition Education Program to host the Super Star Chef program in August 2017. A total of 12 youth, 11 females and 1 male, ranging from 3rd grade to 7th grade participated in the program hosted at the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office. Over a three day period, youth were engaged in han
Author: Audrey Myers
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
According to the 2012 Kentucky Parent Survey, about 1 in 7 parents (14%) said their child got enough fruits and vegetables on 5 or 6 days during the week. A new KIDS COUNT Data Snapshot finds that about two-thirds (64 percent) of Kentucky children are not meeting an important benchmark: reading at grade level at the start of fourth grade. In addition, Kentucky is one of only 12 states where the reading proficiency gap between students from higher- and lower-income families widened by more than 3
Author: Glen Roberts
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Collaborators: Pre-school and kindergarten students, teachers, teaching assistants, school principal, school resource center, ANR agent, Glen Roberts, ANR assistant, Ashley DeBord, FCS assistant , Cassie Munsey, Master Gardener volunteers, VoAg instructor, Justin Horton VoAg and students.Situation: Walker Early Learning Center learned of opportunity to apply for a Lowe`s grant to install raised bed gardens for each of the 15 classrooms to use. They sought the expertise of the ANR age
Author: Glen Roberts
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Collaborators: Glen Roberts, ANR agent, Ashley DeBord, ANR assistant, Danny Adams, KSU Small Farm Assistant, Justin Horton, FFA Adviser/VoAg instructor, Karen Gibson, School Food Service Director, Master Gardeners, VoAg and FCS students, Terry Bertram ANR Assistant.Situation: Todays youth are unaware how good their food is grown. School cafeterias struggle to provide fresh nutritious, affordable locally grown vegetables for their food service. The ANR agent approached a school
Author: Dayna Fentress
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
In Hardin County, what started as a conversation between the Family and Consumer Sciences agent and the Farmers’ Market board president became a population kids activity that saw over 600 children over the course of the summer. The "Power of Produce (POP) Club" was an interactive taste kitchen and activity center aimed to bring more youth and their parents to the market. With help from the UK School of Human Environmental sciences FCS mini-grant, POP Club was born. POP Club
Author: Dayna Fentress
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
When a local elementary school principal called the Hardin County Family and Consumer Sciences Program looking for something to get her students to be healthier, TRYathalon was born. The principal reported that her school did very well with competitive challenges, and that her youth were more apt to participate when something was riding on the line. In a school with just over 400 students, it was hard to have speakers come to speak to the full group as well.The TRYathalon is a way to encour
Author: Katherine Jury
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Hopkins County ranks 4th highest in the state for childhood obesity, and 54th out of 120 counties for overall health outcomes. One important factor that contributes to obesity and health outcomes is healthy eating. In an effort to combat these problems, the Hopkins County Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Science, in partnership with the SNAP-Ed. Assistant, Hopkins County Agents for 4-H and Youth Development, the Hopkins County Health Department, and the West Area Health Education Center
Author: Morgan King
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
According to the most recent studies of 2011 21% of Kentucky youth ages 2 -17 are considered obese. Greenup Co. has an obesity rate of 31.9%. The obesity rate of Greenup County is higher than the state average. This results in an even higher risk of developing serious chronic diseases such as diabetes.In collaboration with the Greenup Co. School System and the Greenup Co. Extension NEP Assistant Morgan King, 146 third grade students participated in a six week-long series. The Snap Ed assistant u
Author: Lynn Blankenship
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
According to Kentucky Health facts, only 19 - 23% of Metcalfe County Residents consume the recommended # of servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The prevalence of individuals diagnosed with type II Diabetes is 20%, which is 4 percentage points higher than the State average. Each preschool and kindergarten classroom at Metcalfe County Elementary School, received six different LEAPS sessions using different books, from the Metcalfe County Extension Agent for FCS Education, SN
Author: Denise Wooley
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
In Kentucky, at least one out of every three adults (34.2%) and children (37.1%) are overweight or obese, more than one out of every five Kentuckians (16.8%) and Kentucky children (21.9%) experience food insecurities, and one out of every three Kentuckians (29.8%) are physically inactive (SNAP-Ed, 2017). Youth gardening programs have shown increases in youth vegetable preferences, vegetable consumption, knowledge in nutrition and plant science, and engagement in physical activity.&nb
Author: Kate Thompson
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
In Kentucky, at least one out of every three adults (34.2%) and children (37.1%) are overweight or obese, more than one out of every five Kentuckians (16.8%) and Kentucky children (21.9%) experience food insecurities, and one out of every three Kentuckians (29.8%) are physically inactive (SNAP-Ed, 2017). In Campbell County (population 92,488), adult obesity is 32%. There are 12.9% of the county who are food insecure, 13.2% of the population below poverty and 17.8% children living in poverty. Twe
Author: Kate Thompson
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Kentucky statistics show that 15.5% of 2-4 year olds from low-income families are obese (CDC, 2013). 42.6% of Kentuckians consume fruit less than one time a day, and 24.9% consume vegetables less than one time daily. Therefore, educational programs, which address the importance of healthy nutrition, are needed. The Campbell County Extension Service addressed healthy eating behaviors through the preschool program- Leap.The Campbell County Cooperative Extension Service collaborated with
Author: Mary Beth Riley
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
LEAP Program, presented to every Kindergarten and First Grade Class in Muhlenberg County (492 students) Students in elementary school are faced with choices everyday whether that is the shoes they are going to wear, or the color to color with, or deciding on the playground equipment to play on. The most important decision students make during the day are their food choices. This is a decision that is over looked and many students do not know how to m
Author: Angie York
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
According to the Center for Disease Control, 60% of children ages 2-18 do not meet recommendations for the amount of fruits and vegetables they should take in daily. In order to overcome obstacles associated with this deficit, the Lyon County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent works closely with the Lyon County Preschool and Head Start program to offer monthly nutrition education for all children enrolled in their programs. Using LEAP programming as a guideline, each month the children hear a bo
Author: Heather Cheek
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
The State of Obesity Organization states the combined rate for overweight and obese adolescents is 33.5% making Kentucky fall among the highest 15 states for overweight and obese children. According to the CDC, around 49.7% and 43.2% of adolescents in Kentucky report consuming fruits and vegetables, respectively, less than one time a day. In an effort to increase the fruit and vegetable intake of children in Mason County in hopes of decreasing the obesity rates, Mason County FCS partnered with t
Author: Ronda Rex
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
In Kentucky, at least one out of every three adults (34.2%) and children (37.1%) are overweight or obese, more than one out of every five Kentuckians (16.8%) and Kentucky children (21.9%) experience food insecurities, and one out of every three Kentuckians (29.8%) are physically inactive (SNAP-Ed, 2017). In Campbell County (population 92,488), adult obesity is 32%. There are 12.9% of the county who are food insecure, 13.2% of the population below poverty and 17.8% children living in poverty. Twe
Author: Morgan Rousseau
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
During the spring 2018, semester 82 preschool students at North Livingston Elementary and South Livingston Elementary Schools took part in the Literacy Education and Activity for Primary (LEAP) program. Each month students hear a story focused around nutritious eating or an active lifestyle, create their own healthy snack, and take part in a physical activity and craft that increase fine and gross motor skills, creativity, and independent thinking. 100% of preschoolers tried one or more new food
Author: Rachael Price
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 13.2 percent of Kentucky youth eat fruits and vegetables five or more times a day. The national average is 21.4 percent. Based on this information the Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Preschool (LEAP) program was taught in the both Grant County and Williamstown school Districts during the 2017-18 school year to the 250 Head Start and preschool children by the Family and Consumer Sciences Program Assistant. Each classroom wa
Author: Edith Lovett
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Over 1200 high school students have been given the opportunity monthly to taste a fruit or vegetable they are not familiar with. This program has not only increased the knowledge of the students in selecting new fresh fruits and vegetables, but staff at the school have also indicated they have increased their knowledge in selecting these fresh produce. The principal reports this is one of the best programs that have been offered to their students and that the students look forward to t
Author: Hannah Mayrand
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends children ages 6 to 13 years should consume 1.5 to 3 cup servings of fruits and vegetables daily. In 2013, the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated 44.6 percent of Kentucky adolescents consumed more than one serving of fruit daily and 42.7 percent consumed more than one serving of vegetables. In an effort to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary school students in Montgomery County, the FCS Agent partnered with th
Author: Danielle Ford
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Kids in The KitchenSpending time in the kitchen and cooking new recipes helps children to develop a positive connection to all different types of foods including fruits and vegetables. Forming a positive experience with fresh foods is so important because healthy foods are the foundation for good nutrition. Children will also learn basic cooking skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. They can use all of their senses-(children learn by touching, tasting, feeling, smelling, an
Author: Vicki Wynn
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
According to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 44.6% of Kentucky adolescents reported consuming fruit less than one time daily, and 42.7% reported consuming vegetables less than one time daily. Nutrition education takes on a whole new life when combined with teaching cooking skills to kids. Research shows children are more willing to try new healthful foods when they help with snacks or meal preparation. 
Author: Melissa Goodman
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
LEAP into Health: Primary Students increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption On any given day, less than 15% of school children eat the recommended servings of fruit; less than 20% eat the recommended servings of vegetables. In 2013, 29% of 4th graders in Kentucky were reading at the below basic reading level. Because the need for healthy reinforcements is so great for our Kentucky children, the LEAP for Health program for preschoolers was implemented. The curriculum targets children ages
