For the 2nd straight year More than 4,000 students and teachers at the South Western High School in Somerset, Kentucky had the opportunity to sample fruits that were not offered to them at their high school or at home. Less than 10 per-cent of the students and teachers had ever tasted a pomegranate, and fewer than 3% knew how to slice one. The same was true with the fresh coconut, mango, and papaya. Very few had ever tasted the fruit and had no idea what it even looked like. Several of the students and teachers had tasted the kiwi and raspberries, but none of the fruits were ever served at the school.
  The agents of the Pulaski County Extension Office visited the school the 4th Friday of each month to offer the students and staff the opportunity to sample a new fruit or vegetable. Before the actual tasting, each homeroom teacher was provided an educational publication that week, to share with the 1,300 enrolled students on the nutrition value of the item to be served that Friday, a picture of the fruit, how to select, serve, cut or slice, and other facts about the fruit, such as where it came from and how you planted the sample. Of the 6 different samples given to the students, there were always students that had never tasted that particular item.
  From the educational session and the actual tasting of the fruits, most of the students shared they would purchase the item again. Our goal was achieved in that we wanted to
give them the opportunity to sample new foods. This had been the request from the students from a survey conducted at the school that they would like to be exposed to new fruits they had never eaten. Since the students were only given a sample, more than half of the students were ready to try the new fruits each month. We also wanted all students to become acquainted with the Pulaski County Extension Staff, and know of the services we could provide to them.
  The teachers and students reported this was one of the best outside programs ever offered to their students. The principal was excited because this program became a part of her wellness component for the year. With this being the 2nd year that we have implicated this program we have been able to see a growth not only in the number of students that we see come up to the booth to try new things. We have also been able to hear the stories from the students about how they have put new fruits and vegetables in to their diet because of something that they had tasted the year before.