SNAP ED programming continues virtually in Rowan County Schools due to the high risk of Covid-19. Covid-19 has affectedpeople in many ways, but being healthy and active increases the immune system and decreases the effect of Covid-19 according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). SNAP-ED classes promote healthy eating and lifestyle beginning at an early age and partnered with two Rowan County Elementary Schools to continue the promotion through online OrganWise classes during the 2020-2021 school year. The virtual OrganWise series makes it more fun and enjoyable for the students to get the same “in-person” feel while learning important lessons. Due to the success of the program last year, the two schools are partnering again with SNAP-ED to offer the OrganWise program during the 2021-2022 school year. 

With billions of children being overweight, these classes will be very beneficial in encouraging healthy habits at a young age to prevent obesity and chronic diseases. The teachers have loved using this program as it has been easy and fun to use. Organwise teachesyoung children the importance of making healthy choices in their lives through learning about their internal organs. Each class includes a lesson about a different organ of the body and the importance of eating healthy and exercise. This empowers these children by being healthy and smart from the inside out.  Organwise classes has shown statistically significant improvement in weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and academic achievement. 

The evaluation of effectiveness of the program will be done after the program is completed. Implementation of OrganWise will be available to the schools the whole school year instead of one semester like last year and all teachers in the two elementary schools can use the program to teach core curriculum in each grade. Support will be available from Rowan County SNAP-Ed throughout the school year.