Community Partnership for Youth Education at Adair Head Start                                          Di Hayward  

JUNE  2024 

The Adair County Head Start facility needed more community education partners for its students. The Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistant approached the director about providing nutrition classes to youth. The director was excited for students to participate in LEAP for Health (LEAP stands for Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Preschool/Primary), developed through a collaboration of the Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.  

The NEP Assistant implemented the program with two classes, each with 20 students, two teachers, two assistants, and various aides and support staff. The LEAP program uses storybooks and activities to teach children about nutritious foods, healthy eating habits, hand washing, food safety, and physical activity. Additionally, the NEP assistant sent home nutrition newsletters with recipes to caregivers. The newsletters helped inform caregivers about what their child/ren were learning in my Head Start classes. The Lake Cumberland Area Director visited one day, took pictures, and videoed the program for the area advisory committee to show the partnership provided at this facility.   

The Learning outcomes were that students were able to identify fruits and vegetables, identify the colors of fruits and vegetables. Students also learnt food safety skills when to wash their hands before eating or touching food. The taste tests help students taste fruits or vegetables they may not get at home or at Head Start. They also participated in some physical activity which encouraged more activity at home.