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COALITION-BASED SCHOOL GARDENING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION THROUGH SNAP-ED

Extension Education

Leslie Walz
CEA-STAFF CHAIR
RISON

Abstract

The objective of this collaboration was to implement a coalition-based, comprehensive gardening and nutrition education to address youth obesity rates.  The target audience was students and families in SNAP-Ed eligible schools.  Studies have shown children are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables when they participate in growing and harvesting. A plan was created to use gardening and nutrition education to encourage students to increase intake of fruits and vegetables.  The University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service (UACES) and Cleveland County Childhood Obesity Prevention Committee collaborated to implement nutrition and gardening education to encourage students to increase fruits and vegetables in their diet. Two school districts, with a combined annual elementary enrollment of 510 students, agreed to participate. Arkansas Farm Bureau funded raised beds for each elementary grade K-6. UACES recruited Master Gardeners to help with the installation. UACES provided teachers with the School Garden Lesson Plans curriculum, developed by Whole Kids Foundation and American Heart Association. UACES Agriculture and FCS Agents developed Constant Contact newsletters for teachers containing pertinent information, schedules, recipes, photos, and success stories. UACES Agents also assisted with hands-on education in the garden. School cafeteria staff implemented the Arkansas Foods curriculum developed by UACES, which provides lessons, tasting activities, and parent newsletters for 21 Arkansas-grown foods. In both 2019 and 2020, students grew more than 300 pounds of sweet potatoes at one school. Students cured sweet potatoes, tasted them in the cafeteria, and entered prize sweet potatoes in the local county fair. Eighty percent of students surveyed reported liking sweet potatoes they tasted.  Teacher surveys show 73% reported lessons as valuable to extremely valuable, 63% reported it made a difference in the lives of their students, and 72% reported increased student willingness to eat fruits and vegetables.  By building a coalition of interested stakeholders, UACES SNAP-Ed implemented comprehensive education by securing funding to build gardens, recruiting volunteers to assist with installation, and engaging teachers and cafeteria staff in implementation.

Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC

This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.

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Authors: L. S. Walz, Diane Clement, Katie Holland, Amy McClelland, Sarah David, Bryan Mader, Debbie Head
  1. Walz, L. CEA-STAFF CHAIR, University of Arkansas System Division Of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 71665-0386
  2. Clement, D. County Extension Agent-Family Consumer Sciences, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 71665
  3. Holland, K. Program Associate-SnapEd, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 72204
  4. McClelland, A. Program Associate-SnapEd, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 72204
  5. David, S. Program Associate-SnapEd, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 72204
  6. Mader, B. Assistant Professor - Health, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 72204
  7. Head, D. Associate Department Head-FCS, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 72204