The Todd County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent and NEP Assistant teach nutrition each year at the schools in Todd County. However, children show a lack of interest in why they should have healthy eating habits. To reinforce the importance of eating healthy, the practical living teacher at the middle school invites the Todd County NEP Assistant to teach health and nutrition to each of her classes each year. 

After teaching My Plate in 2017 to five practical living classes and noticing the students did not seem engaged in learning, Todd County NEP Assistant tried a new approach. In 2018, she introduced the Teen Cuisine curriculum and combined the hands on activities with My Plate information.  Students wiped cut apples on a surface that was not cleaned and then on a surface cleaned with bleach solution, and watched the difference in mold growth on each. Students practiced hands-on measuring skills with flour.  They learned knife skills cutting homemade play dough apples with plastic chef knives, while the NEP Assistant taught about eating fruits and vegetables. Students viewed demonstration of fat models of favorite foods and played “GO, SLOW, WHOA!” with pictures of food from daily diets. While cooking was not possible with the group, the NEP assistant was able to let students make a healthy snack from the Teen Cuisine recipes - Herbed Popcorn and Pretzel Mix. Students measured and bagged up snacks for themselves. 

Students were encouraged to increase physical activities and the NEP Assistant had students get up and move during class time using fun games.

In comparison, youth from 2017 semester showed 88% of youth adopted and practiced one or more food selection behaviors while the 2018 group showed 90% of youth adopted and practiced one or more food selection behaviors. Food Safety practices for 2017 showed 50% of youth adopted and practiced one or more behaviors to handle food safely, while 2018 showed 63%. 2017 class showed a 51% change of one or more habits related to physical activity while 2018 showed a 70% increase. The changes may be small, but the students did increase. ”Small changes add up to Big Wins!”

The NEP Assistant showed that learning with hands-on activities increased youth interest in nutrition topics.