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Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu

Impacts

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu




Fiscal Year:
Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025


Success StoryLEAP at Longest Elementary School



LEAP at Longest Elementary School

Author: Mackenzie Pogue

Planning Unit: Muhlenberg County CES

Major Program: LEAP

Plan of Work: Nutrition Education Program

Outcome: Initial Outcome

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.  

To address this issue of childhood obesity, the Muhlenberg County Cooperative Extension, 4-H Youth Development Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences agentand Nutrition Education Program assistant partnered together with the Longest Elementary School first grade to provide the Literacy, Eating and Activity for Primary (LEAP) program for every first-grade student at Longest 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 had prepared it. 

The LEAP program was delivered to a total of 61 youths at Longest Elementary in Muhlenberg County, 58 students completed both the pre and post evaluations  The NEERS data from pre-and-post evaluations indicated that 96% of students made improvement in one or more areas of the evaluation.  With 86% of youth showing more knowledge or skills necessary to choose foods consistent with Federal Dietary Guidelines.  70% of the students showed improvement in knowledge of when to wash their hands before eating. 

According to verbal surveys and student comments, students enjoyed the books, healthy activities, and especially enjoyed the samples and the accompanying snacks. Several of the students indicated that they were tasting new food for the first time, most students were willing to try the foods again if offered, and many of the students stated they would ask for the snack at home. 






Stories by Mackenzie Pogue


Growing Through 4-H - A Journey of Life Skills in Action

Growing Through 4-H - A Journey of Life Skills in Action

about 9 days ago by Mackenzie Pogue

Growing Through 4-H – A Journey of Life Skills in ActionEssential life skills include communication,... Read More


Stuck in the Middle at 4-H Camp

Stuck in the Middle at 4-H Camp

about 3 months ago by Mackenzie Pogue

Stuck in the Middle at West Kentucky 4-H CampStuck in the Middle at West Kentucky 4-H Camp is a uniq... Read More


Stories by Muhlenberg County CES


Growing Through 4-H - A Journey of Life Skills in Action

Growing Through 4-H - A Journey of Life Skills in Action

about 9 days ago by Mackenzie Pogue

Growing Through 4-H – A Journey of Life Skills in ActionEssential life skills include communication,... Read More


Stuck in the Middle at 4-H Camp

Stuck in the Middle at 4-H Camp

about 3 months ago by Mackenzie Pogue

Stuck in the Middle at West Kentucky 4-H CampStuck in the Middle at West Kentucky 4-H Camp is a uniq... Read More


Stories by LEAP


Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Pre-School/Primary (LEAP)

Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Pre-School/Primary (LEAP)

about 13 days ago by Ronda Rex

The Kentucky Center for Statistics (.gov), reports that Kindergarten readiness in Gallatin County is... Read More


LEAP in Logan County

LEAP in Logan County

about 6 months ago by Megan Treadway

Poor nutrition and physical inactivity are tied to obesity. Recent research shows that among U.S. ch... Read More