According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau, Kentucky’s poverty rate is 18.5%. Mason County’s poverty percent is above state average at 19.5%. Many children do not get the chance to taste fresh vegetables nor do they get the opportunity to grow their own food. The horticulture agent partnered with Girl Scouts to teach a program at the local Boys & Girls club which consisted of  twelve youth gaining nutritional knowledge and incorporating fresh produce into their diet. I conducted a verbal survey before the program and asked how many of the children liked spinach, all twelve participants said they did not like it and some had never tried it. 

The program taught each child to make their own smoothie on our smoothie bike, which included exercise and drinking a health smoothie made of spinach, pineapple and grapes. After trying the smoothie eleven out of twelve participants said they enjoyed it and could make this at home. Each child also made a container garden where they learned how to plant spinach and how to take care of their garden so they could make their own smoothie. This program garnered youth with knowledge and has a long-term outcome by equipping youth with knowledge on how to make healthier food and grow it  and implement exercise into their daily routine.