Describe the Issue or Situation.According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Kentucky has one of the highest prevalence for pediatric obesity in the nation.  Approximately 38% of Kentucky children ages 5-10 years are considered overweight or obese according to BMI-for-age standards. Half of Kentucky’s children in limited resource families are overweight or obese.

Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).To address this issue of childhood obesity, the Muhlenberg County Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent and Nutrition Education Program assistant partnered together with the Greenville Elementary School third grade to provide the Literacy, Eating and Activity for Primary (LEAP) program for every third-grade student at Greenville Elementary School.  The UK Cooperative Extension staff reached all students by going into each classroom.  The LEAP program includes a story with a healthy message, a physical activity, and sampling a healthy snack related to the story.  By not just offering samples but allowing the students to prepare their own snacks related to the story, students learned to read and follow the recipe.  Almost all students were willing and excited to try the nutritious snack as they prepared it.

Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience.The LEAP program was delivered to a total of 72 youth at Greenville Elementary in Muhlenberg County,  68 students completed both the pre and post evaluations. .  The NEERS data from pre and post evaluations indicated that 97% of students made improvement in one or more areas on the evaluation.   

Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.According to verbal surveys all students enjoyed the books, activities, and enjoyed the samples of the accompanying snacks.   Several of the students indicated that they were tasting new food for the first time.  All students also learned the importance of taking a "hello bite" and by the end of the program indicated understanding of what that was