Author: Jessica Reed
Planning Unit: KSU Administration
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
According to https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org as of October 2020, Kentucky youth has the highest obesity rate at 23.8% for ages 10-17 years old among the 50 states and D.C. This increases the risk for children for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and other obesity-related issues. The Montgomery County Public School System is located in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, and made up of four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school covering PK-12th grades. According to www.niche.com, Montgomery County has 4680 students enrolled and is ranked 77th of 168 districts in Kentucky, having a B- overall rating. Among the four elementary schools is Camargo Elementary, which’s located in a rural area of Montgomery County, serving 641 students from PK- 5th grades, and holds a C+ overall rating. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020-2021 Montgomery County Public School year has been anything but a normal learning year. The school year started out all virtually for students. As the months passed, the school year changed to a hybrid option for student learning, but still offering 100% virtual learning to students/parents if they chose. Since the school gave different options for learning this allowed students and teachers to work together in person while following safety guidelines and virtually to provide education to all students in Montgomery County Public Schools. Montgomery County SNAP-Ed partnered with Camargo Elementary School's first-grade team in February 2021 to provide nutrition education and the importance of healthy eating at a young age to decrease the obesity rate and chronic disease later in life this at-risk population.
The programming began in March 2021 virtually with the OrganWise Curriculum for the first-grade team at Camargo Elementary. A pre-survey was given to each first-grade student. From the beginning of March to the Middle of May, the students would receive lessons that would include book readings, download worksheets about the importance of a healthy diet, and a lot of communication between the first-grade teachers and the SNAP-ED Assistant. The students would understand the importance of eating different fruits and vegetables, consuming dairy foods, being active, and the proper way to hand wash before consuming foods to reduce sickness. The first-graders were given a post-survey after completely the OrganWise Program.
Evaluation of the program showed 49% of the students improved their physical activity practices, 88% of the children improved 1 or more knowledge or skills necessary to choose foods with Federal Dietary Guidelines (FDA) recommendations, and 59% of the students improved 2 or more knowledge or skills necessary to choose foods consistent with FDA. And 57% of the students improved knowledge or skill related to handling food safety. Overall 97% of the students in first grade improved in one or more core areas. Even though the school year was different due to the pandemic and the lessons had to be presented virtually. The students still made progress on ways to improve their health, better and safer lifestyles to reduce their risk of sickness, and risk of chronic diseases by eating healthier.
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