Beneficial Lifestyle ChoicesPlan of Work

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Mason County CES

Title:
Beneficial Lifestyle Choices
MAP:
Beneficial Lifestyle Choices
Agents Involved:
Heather Cheek, Macy Fawns, Mary Jane Little
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
4-H Family and Consumer Science Core Curriculum
Situation:

According to KY Health Facts, in comparison to Kentucky as a whole, Mason Countians are statistically more unhealthy. The average amount of adults in Mason County with diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and heart disease is equal to and higher than the average amount for Kentuckians. The average amount of overweight and obese adults is also higher than the state average.

Long-Term Outcomes:

To decrease the number of obese and overweight youth and adults

To improve the mental health and well-being of residents of Mason County

To manage and prevent the risk, debilitation, and premature death related to diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and hypertension

To decrease the number of accidents on farms and in homes.

Intermediate Outcomes:

To increase physical activity in families and communities and decrease time spent on sedentary behaviors

To have community members advocate for policy changes related to unhealthy choices

To strengthen community coalitions and/or partnerships to address unhealthy choices

Initial Outcomes:

To increase the practice of daily physical activity

To increase the choice of healthy foods

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: To increase the practice of daily physical activity and choice of healthy foods

Indicator: Immediate feedback from participants on knowledge of physical activity and healthy foods

Method: Word of mouth from participants

Timeline: During program


Intermediate Outcome: To strengthen community coalitions and/or partnerships to address unhealthy choices

Indicator: More participation at coalition meetings and from advisory councils

Method: Observation of participation and PSE changes

Timeline: quarterly


Long-term Outcome: To decrease the number of obese and overweight youth and adults

Indicator: Lower statistical rates 

Method: Observe date changes

Timeline: annually

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: 8th grade students

Project or Activity: Truth and Consequences

Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequences curriculum

Inputs: FCS Agent, community partners, Extension homemakers, MCMS

Date: Every October


Audience: Community members

Project or Activity: Health Fair

Content or Curriculum: Various health topics

Inputs: FCS Agent, Meadowview Regional Hospital, Extension Homemakers, community partners

Date: Every April/May


Audience: Adults and youth

Project or Activity: Growing to Cook series

Content or Curriculum: Participants will learn to grow and cook with fruits and vegetables

Inputs: Horticulture Agent, EFNEP Assistant, Master Gardeners

Date: Every Summer/Fall 


Audience: 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students

Project or Activity: Dance Fit

Content or Curriculum: Dance Fit curriculum

Inputs: 4-H Agent, MCIS PE teacher

Date: Every school year



Success Stories

4-H Shooting Sports

Author: Mary Jane Little

Major Program: 4-H Agriculture Core Curriculum AND Natural Resources

4-H Shooting Sports

The focus of all 4-H programs is the development of youth as individuals and as responsible and productive citizens. The National 4-H Shooting Sports Program stands out as an example. Youth learn marksmanship, the safe and responsible use of firearms, the principles of hunting and archery, and much more. The activities of the program and the support of caring adult leaders provide young people with opportunities to develop life skills, self-worth, and conservation ethics. (National 4-H Shooting

Full Story

Cook Together, Eat Together

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Cook Together, Eat Together

Eating more fruits and vegetables is a critical behavior for health promotion and disease prevention. Despite the importance of eating more produce, it is also one of the most difficult eating behaviors to change. It has been reported that cooking more meals at home is related to increased fruit and vegetable consumption.A program to promote more health, home-cooked family meals, Cook Together, Eat Together, was offered at the Mason County Cooperative Extension Office with 5 adults and 9 youth p

Full Story

Get Experience in Mindfulness

Author: Mary Jane Little

Major Program: 4-H Health Core Curriculum

The GEM curriculum (Get Experience in Mindfulness) is national 4-H curriculum that provides tools for educators to enable students with stress and coping mechanisms. Mason County 4-H hosted a 6 week program at St. Patrick's school for 7th and 8th graders. The lessons entail stress recognition and management, anxiety recognition and grounding techniques, how to identify stress triggers, and personality tests to get to know how others may experience stress. Students worked through individual a

Full Story

Food Explorers

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

In 2018, the State of Obesity Organization stated the combined rate for overweight and obese adolescents is 33.5% making Kentucky fall among the highest 15 states for overweight and obese children. Kentucky Health Facts stated that 40% of adults in Mason County are obese compared to the 35% in Kentucky as a whole. 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 fru

Full Story

Connecting Extension Homemakers

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association

With the COVID-19 pandemic taking the world by surprise, the Governor of Kentucky has requested that people stay at home unless absolutely necessary. A large population reached by Mason County Family and Consumer Sciences include the 306 Extension Homemaker members. The majority of these members are over the age of 60 and deemed high risk for contracting the coronavirus. A fear of the stay at home order includes a feeling of isolation which can lead to depression. In an effort to combat the feel

Full Story

Mother's and Father's Day At Home

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)

Time together as a family was hard to find before the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has given families a blessing in disguise as they now are spending a lot of time together. During the healthy at home period, many holidays passed including St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and even Mother’s and Father’s Day. In an effort to support families during Mother’s and Father’s Day, the Mason County FCS Agent put together Programs On The Go to promote family time at home. The Mo

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Programs on the Go

Author: Heather Cheek

Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, families and individuals were encouraged to stay Healthy At Home. This meant that traditional Extension programming had to change. In an effort to still reach clientele and provide them with research based information and hands on activities to support that information and encourage a better understanding of it for those who may not be visual learners, the Mason County FCS Agent and program assistant worked together to provide different Programs On The Go to the c

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