Success StoryAdult Learners Work Towards G.E.D.s while Building Skills for Life



Adult Learners Work Towards G.E.D.s while Building Skills for Life

Author: Courtney Rogers

Planning Unit: Franklin County CES

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

Outcome: Initial Outcome

ThornHill Learning Center makes completing a GED under unconventional circumstances obtainable for residents in Franklin County. When ThornHill educators noticed that many of their students come to school with prepacked snacks and meals, they responded by asking for SNAP-Ed’s help. Parents and pregnant mothers working on their GED, underemployed single males with diplomas or GEDs in progress, and educational staff gathered together for a nutrition education program that focused on building cooking skills in order to improve nutrition. From these hands on lessons, 60% of participants improved in at least one food safety practice. One participant appreciated receiving tongs through the program and said, “I never thought about how the spatula I use to cook raw meat with shouldn’t be used to serve cooked food.” By incorporating interactive recipe making with each lesson, University of Kentucky’s comprehensive curriculum reinforces the importance of keeping food safe in order to be well!