The Allen County 4-H Program hosted the Veggies, Racecars & Healthy Living – 3, 2, 1 … Let’s Go!!! Class at the Allen County Library on September 24, 2019.  Allen County 4-H partnered with the Library Learning Series for a fun-filled afternoon discussing the importance of veggies and healthy lifestyles with nineteen youth ages 4-11 and adult family members.

               Agent Anna led the young audience through a discussion of the importance of fruits and vegetables in their daily diets, regular water intake, physical fitness and healthy lifestyles.  During the facilitated dialogue, youth were asked to raise their hands in response to behaviors and actions they exhibit in their daily life before the lesson and then were asked the same questions after the completion of the lesson.  

When asked how many youth intended to live healthy lives (after lesson) by increasing their:

Photo above: Youth teams race their veggie racecars as a final activity to wrap of the 4-H lesson at the Library. 

Photo above: Youth teams race their veggie racecars as a final activity to wrap of the 4-H lesson at the Library. 

• Daily vegetable intake by one or more servings, 100% of participants raised their hand.
• Daily fruits intake by one or more servings, 84% of participants raised their hand.    
• Daily water intake by one or more cups, 95 % of participants raised their hand.
• Daily physical activity by 15-30 minutes, 84% or participants raised their hand.

After discussing the benefits of fruits, vegetables, water and physical activity in youth and family members lives, youth and adult members participated in a team activity to create racecars out of fruits and vegetables which would later compete in two-car races.  Once participants discussed the key elements that make a racecar and were educated on the importance of safely handling kitchen equipment, adult-led teams began work on their veggie racecars.  The following activity required youth members to use their knowledge of racecar structure in combination with their creativity to make a racecar completely built with vegetables, fruits and toothpicks.  Many youth used larger vegetable like cucumbers and potatoes as the base of their car.  Others used whole cherry tomatoes or sliced vegetables like potatoes and carrots for wheels.  Several teams added personality to their racecars with unique carved designs and/or vegetable racecar drivers.  Once all teams had completed their vegetable racecars, team placed their cars at the top of a table racecar ramp and let gravity do the rest for a fun-filled activity focused on vegetables and family involvement.  

As a result of this activity, youth increased their understanding of what it means to live a healthy life style, youth recognized the 

Photo above: Participants pose for a picture with their stylish veggie racecar, complete with a carrot racecar driver. importance of daily fruits, vegetable, water & physical fitness and youth engaged in creative outlets for engineering and problem solving.  Additionally, the teamwork and adult led groups provided a successful and positive youth-adult partnerships working towards a common goal.