Florida SNAP-Ed Narrative Annual Report - eXtension

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Florida SNAP-Ed Narrative Annual Report Year: Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2012 State Agency: Florida Department of Children and Families Implementing Agency: University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural

Sciences

1. SNAP-Ed Program Overview

In FFY12, Florida SNAP-Ed, named the Family Nutrition Program (FNP), had significant gains in meeting the objectives to address overarching program goals. By implementing both direct and indirect evidence-based educational approaches, programmatic objectives of increasing knowledge and improving behavior related to nutrition, physical activity, food safety, and food resource management of SNAP-eligible Florida residents were met. Outcome evaluation of youth participants’ knowledge resulted in an average nutrition knowledge gain of 30% upon completing FNP education. Behavioral highlights included an increased number of youth participants consuming fruit (71%), vegetables (63%), whole grain foods (57%), fruit/vegetable snacks (64%), and low-fat or fat-free dairy foods (51%) based on feedback from elementary teachers. Following FNP education, some food service managers reported increases in youth intake of vegetables (32%), and the majority of managers surveyed (>69%) reported greater intake of fruit, whole grain foods and low-fat or fat-free dairy foods among youth participants. Almost all adult participants (94%) surveyed reported that they gained nutrition knowledge as a result of attending the FNP. About 80% of older adults reported intent to change behavior to improve eating, meal planning, and food safety. Although no new projects were implemented in this fiscal year, programming expanded within current projects. All five projects (Children and Youth, Pregnant Women/Teens and Families with Young Children, Older Adults, General Adults and Mixed Audiences, and Special Needs Adults) were operational with both direct and indirect approaches. FNP successes were evident throughout the state and included the following:

In addition to the strong FNP behavioral outcomes for participants, environmental supports for healthful eating behavior improved. A total of 30 school and 2 community gardens in ten counties (Brevard, Broward, Taylor, Pasco, Suwannee, Flagler, Lafayette, Osceola, Orange, Putnam) were used for nutrition education. Twenty-one of the gardens were actually built as a collaborative effort with the FNP, although external funds were secured for materials.

The FNP has also been operational in Farm to Community/City and Farm to School initiatives in several counties. Collaborating with farmers’ markets is another way that the FNP assists eligible audiences with accessing local resources.

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In 2011, programming was occurring in only 21 counties due to funding cuts of nearly 80% that resulted from the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act. However, in FFY 12, FNP was offered in 32 counties. Additionally, external funds of $64,120.23 were secured during this fiscal year to enhance FNP education.

Through a collaborative effort that included faculty and staff, a new graphic element was developed to better represent programming consistently statewide. With the assistance of UF/IFAS Information and Communication Services, promotion of the program will be improved to enhance recruitment of eligible audiences and to identify local opportunities to collaborate with agencies.

Over fifty different broadcasts or publications throughout Florida highlighted the remarkable achievements of the Family Nutrition Program in FFY12.

The FNP has an active presence throughout Florida. Due to static funding, opportunities to expand programming and adopt new approaches were limited; however, FNP continues to maintain strong programming in almost half of Florida’s counties.

2. SNAP-Ed Administrative Expenditures

Name of IA: University of Florida

% values $ values

Administrative Salary 61% $743,853

Administrative Training Functions 0% $0

Reporting Costs ( identify % related to EARS, if possible)

0% $0

Equipment/Office Supplies 1% $14,653

Operating Costs <0.25% $2,073

Indirect Costs 38% $463,337

Overhead Charges (space, HR services, etc.)

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3. SNAP-Ed Evaluation Reports Completed for this Reporting Year

Project Name

Key Project Objectives Target Audience

Check all Evaluation Types for which Reports

Are Included*

FE PE OE IE Children and Youth

After participating in an FNP multi-lesson nutrition education intervention, SNAP-Ed participants will:

Name MyPlate food groups and identify foods in each group

Eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of whole grains

Eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of low-fat and fat free milk

Eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of fruits

Eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of vegetables

Know the importance of physical activity and its importance to health

Engage in 60 minutes of physical activity daily

Wash their hands properly and when necessary

Pre-Kindergarten youth (children younger than 5 years old) and school aged children (children enrolled in school, ages 5-17 years old).

X

General Adults and Mixed Audiences

After participating in a FNP single lesson nutrition education intervention, SNAP-Ed participants will:

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of whole grains

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of low-fat and fat free milk

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of fruits

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of vegetables


Adults, ages 18 to 59 years.

X

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Project Name

Key Project Objectives Target Audience

Check all Evaluation Types for which Reports

Are Included*

FE PE OE IE General Adults and Mixed Audiences, continued

Intend to engage in 30 minutes of physical activity daily

Know how to wash hands properly

Intend to wash their hands properly and when necessary

Plan meals, make shopping list, and compare food prices

Intend to plan meals, make shopping list, and compare food prices

X

Older Adults

After participating in a FNP single lesson nutrition education intervention, SNAP-Ed participants will:

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of whole grains

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of low-fat and fat free milk

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of fruits

Intend to eat nearer to the daily recommended amounts of vegetables


Intend to engage in 30 minutes of physical activity daily

Know how to wash hands properly

Intend to wash their hands properly and when necessary

Plan meals, make shopping list, and compare food prices

Intend to plan meals, make shopping list, and compare food prices

Adults, 60 years or older.

X

* FE = Formative Evaluation PE = Process Evaluation OE = Outcomes Evaluation IE = Impact Evaluation

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4. SNAP-Ed Planned Improvements:

The FNP project areas will be collapsed to increase the focus of programming although not excluding any eligible audiences. To improve effectiveness with parents, curricula focused on facilitated dialogue and child feeding practices, both with tested evaluation tools, will be implemented. Direct education for youth programming, mainly based on experiential learning, will be adopted similarly across the state. A structured statewide training program will commence in the next fiscal year to ensure staff have a strong knowledge base regarding core nutrition concepts, food safety practices, teaching approaches, and ways to impact the environment to enhance healthful eating. As food preparation is an important way to influence participants’ home environment, training will also feature proper food preparation techniques. A more expansive evaluation protocol will be in place that has multiple components for evaluation of each project. To allow more in-depth analysis, more individual demographic data will be collected. Data relevant to gardening and influencing policy in schools and communities will be collected to assess environmental influences of FNP. More intensive tools may be adopted to better assess the direct impact of the Family Nutrition Programming on healthy weight management.

5. EARS Feedback:

Comments regarding any challenges you encountered in gathering and reporting data for EARS and actions taken to resolve or address these challenges. It is a challenge to differentiate direct and indirect education. To address this challenge, definitions of direct and indirect education have been provided followed by training to reinforce the concepts. Does FNS need to provide additional EARS training or resources? If yes, specify training topics and/or type of resources needed. Different terminology to clarify unduplicated and duplicated would be helpful as it is difficult to interpret. Also, handouts or information linking nationalities in general to racial categories would be useful. What, if any, changes did you make in your IT system or manual data collection procedures for EARS in the prior fiscal year? Florida has been consistently using the EARS form for counties to submit data to the State Office on a monthly basis.

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Do you plan to make any changes in your IT system or manual data collection procedures for EARS in the next FY? For all projects, a more sophisticated, online reporting system will be explored. Will all IAs report actual unduplicated data for EARS in the upcoming fiscal year? If no, why? Florida will use actual, unduplicated data for EARS reporting. Share suggestions for modifications to the EARS form, if any. There are no suggestions at this time.

6. Appendices:

APPENDIX A: EVALUATION REPORTS YOUTH UNDERSTANDING MYPLATE OUTCOME EVALUATION (PROJECT: CHILDREN AND YOUTH)

Knowledge of youth in grades 1 and 2 was evaluated as an outcome upon completion of the UF Youth Understanding MyPlate (YUM) curriculum. The curriculum was implemented as six one-hour lessons over a minimum of at least six weeks (one lesson per week). The same multiple-choice, 12-item survey was used at pre-test and post-test to assess nutrition knowledge related to MyPlate, foods with key nutrients, and the benefit of nutrient-rich foods/nutrients. Example

items were “How many sections should be on your plate?” and “Which food has lots of calcium?” Data were collected in three counties (Santa Rosa, Nassau, Orange) by participant groups. Descriptive statistics were conducted for preliminary analysis. In Figure 1, the average score and the percentage based on a total possible score of 12 are provided for first and second grade participants. There was a 27% and 30% improvement in scores from pre-test to post-test for first and second graders, respectively.

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Figure1: Mean Pre-Test and Post-Test Nutrition Knowledge Scores of Youth Participating in YUM (n=399)*

* Score ranges from low=0 to high=12.

A subset of the data from the preliminary analysis was matched by individual. Scores were matched for a sample of youth (n=282) from two counties (Nassau and Orange) in first or second grade. Paired Student’s T-tests were conducted to analyze pre-test and post-test scores of these data. Significance was determined a priori, p<.05. For youth in grade 1, post-test scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores (8.59±2.08 versus 5.78±2.03, p=.001). Similarly, youth in grade 2 had higher post-test versus pre-test scores (9.18±1.90 versus 5.76±1.38, p=.001). With these results, continued use of the YUM curriculum for improving youth knowledge, a mediator of behavior change, is supported. For more highlights of the YUM program in the Florida FNP, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVj1b7IfTo&feature=plcp ORGANWISE GUYS OUTCOME EVALUATION (PROJECT: CHILDREN AND YOUTH)

The OrganWise Guys curriculum (Wellness, Inc.) was implemented with youth participants

in four counties (Pasco, Putnam, Collier, and Volusia). Knowledge and behavior changes

were assessed in three counties by conducting a survey with up to 12 items. Volusia County

assessed behavior with an objective measure of choice between two food offerings.

5.26 (44%) 5.70 (48%)

8.57 (71%) 9.09 (78%)

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2

4

6

8

10

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Grade 1 Participants Grade 2 Participants

Pre-test Post-test

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVj1b7IfTo&feature=plcp

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Pasco County

Of 117 youth participants in Kindergarten through Grade 2, the average pre-score

was 74% and the average post-score was 92%, an 18% increase in the knowledge

score after FNP.

Of 141 youth participants in Kindergarten through Grade 2, the average pre-score

was 74% and the average post-score was 86%, a 12% increase in the knowledge

score after FNP.

Putnam County

Of 464 youth participants in grades Kindergarten through second…

o 8% increased their ability to explain the need for washing hands before handling food.

o 11% increased their ability to identify a nutritious breakfast food. o 16% increased their ability to identify a healthy snack choice.

Of 313 youth participants in Kindergarten and Grade 2, 13% increased their ability

to identify a healthier drink choice.

Of 308 youth participants in Grades 1 and 2, 19% increased their ability to identify foods that are a good source of calcium.

Of 314 youth participants in Grades 2 and 3, 14% increased their ability to identify foods that are high in fiber.

Of 157 youth participants in Grade 3, 35% increased recognition of the need to promote health through positive daily habits.

Collier County

The grade-specific OrganWise Guys pre- and post- evaluation tools were used for kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders. To assess knowledge, the tool for kindergarten students had five items. The first and second grade tools had eight knowledge items and at post-test there were an additional four items to determine planned behavior changes.

Of 679 youth participants in Kindergarten from 47 different classes, the average pre-score was 73% and the average post-score was 96%, a 23% increase in the knowledge score after FNP.

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The students were willing to try new fruits and

vegetables. - First grade teacher in

Santa Rosa County

Of 598 youth participants in first grade from 40 different classes, the average pre-score was 81% and the average post-score was 90%, a 9% increase in the knowledge score after FNP. About 50% of participants reported planned behavior changes.

Of 460 youth participants in second grade from 33 different classes, the average pre-score was 95% and the average post-score was 98%, a 3% increase in the knowledge score after FNP. Almost all participants (99%) reported planned behavior changes.

Volusia County During weeks six through eight of implementing the OrganWise Guys curriculum, teachers in Volusia County reinforced lessons initially taught by FNP educators by providing nutrition education during breakfast in the cafeteria (all students were receiving free breakfast). The students were offered a choice between a cereal with 1 gram of sugar and one with 11 grams of sugar. The children stated key messages from the lessons and 100% of the children chose the low sugar option. During lunch in the school cafeteria, teachers also offered the children plain, low-fat versus flavored milk. Similarly, 100% of the children chose plain, low-fat milk without added sugar. These results suggest the ability of children to make informed decisions following nutrition education offered through FNP. THE FAMILY NUTRITION PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS OUTCOME EVALUATION (PROJECT: CHILDREN AND YOUTH) Teacher Assessment of Youth Healthful Behavior Changes A retrospective survey was distributed to teachers at the end of the 2011-2012 school year

to assess behavior change of youth who had participated in the Family Nutrition Program.

Surveys were conducted with a sample of teachers (n=476)

in 19 counties (Broward, Santa Rosa, Orange, Taylor,

Brevard, Nassau, Flagler, Pasco, Collier, Osceola, Suwannee,

Liberty, Calhoun, St. Lucie, Volusia, Martin, Okaloosa, Walton,

and St. Johns), representing 9,521 youth. All youth

participated in at least six educational sessions lasting at

least thirty minutes each over a minimum of six weeks. Through the survey, teachers

identified how many total students were in their class, the grade level of the class, and the

number of students who were now doing more of a desired healthful behavior compared to

the beginning of the school year. Behavior assessed included eating more vegetables, fruit,

whole grain foods, healthful snacks (fruit or vegetables), low-fat or fat-free dairy foods,

being more physically active, and practicing proper hand washing. An open-ended

comment option was the final survey item.

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Descriptive analyses were conducted for participant groups (Pre-Kindergarten and

Kindergarden; Grades 1 and 2; Grades 3 through 5; and a Multiple Grade group for teachers

who assessed students of different grades in one class). The results for these groups are

displayed in Figure 2. Except for eating fruits, a lower

percentage of participants in grades 3 through 5 changed

behavior compared to all other groups. Participants in Grades

1 and 2 had the highest percentage of participants who

changed for all behaviors compared to the other groups. The

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten group had comparable

percentages of participants who made changes. These results,

in addition to the example comments provided as quotes,

reinforce the importance of maintaining strong youth programming and the potential

effects of the Family Nutrition Program, especially for participants in Pre-Kindergarten

through grades 2.

I have observed that more of my students pick

fruits and vegetables when they go through the

lunch line than before. -Kindergarten teacher in

Orange County

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Figure 2: Percentage of Youth Participants Practicing More Health-Related Behavior Following the Family Nutrition

Program versus at the Beginning of the School Year based on Teacher Survey Results (n=476)

Vegetables Fruits Whole GrainsHealthful

SnacksLF or FF

Dairy FoodsPhysicalActivity

HandWashing

Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten (n=2811) 65% 75% 59% 66% 53% 84% 87%

Grades 1 and 2 (n=3758) 68% 77% 61% 70% 57% 87% 93%

Grades 3 to 5 (n=1055) 55% 65% 45% 51% 39% 67% 72%

Multiple Grades Combined (n=1897) 54% 59% 54% 60% 42% 70% 76%

Total (n=9521) 63% 71% 57% 64% 51% 80% 86%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

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This was one GREAT program. My students are asking now for berries and other fruits and veggies. I have gone from serving 150 fruit cups to

165-180. The [educators] were awesome and the kids loved the

information. Thank you. - Foodservice Manager in Broward

County

Food Service Manager Assessment of Youth Healthful Behavior Changes

A retrospective survey was distributed to foodservice

managers at the end of the 2011-2012 school year to

assess behavior changes of students who participated in

the Family Nutrition Program. All youth participated in at

least six educational sessions lasting at least thirty minutes

each over a minimum of six weeks. Data were collected

from 22 food service managers in 7 counties (Broward,

Santa Rosa, Taylor, Brevard, Pasco, Suwannee, Okaloosa),

representing 1,180 students. A survey included items to

assess intake of fruit, vegetable, whole grain foods, and low-fat or fat-free dairy foods with

responses based on a 5-point Likert frequency scale ranging from “a lot less” to “a lot

more.” In Table 1 the responses are presented. The “a lot less” response is not provided as

it was not selected by any food service managers. A final survey item was open-ended and

an example comment is included in the quotation box.

Table 1: The Number and Percentage of Food Service Managers (n=22) who

Reported Changes in Students Eating Behavior

Students now eat… A Little

Less About the

Same A Little More

A Lot More

Vegetables 1 (5%) 14 (64%) 5 (23%) 2 (9%)

Fruit 0 (0%) 1 (5%) 13 (59%) 8 (36%)

Whole Grain Foods 0 (0%) 3 (14%) 8 (36%) 11 (50%)

Skim or Reduced Fat Milk

1 (5%) 6 (27%) 3 (14%) 12 (55%)

LIMITED RESOURCE ADULTS OUTCOME EVALUATION (PROJECT: GENERAL ADULTS AND MIXED AUDIENCES) In Flagler County, a group of young adults participated in the “Eat Healthy/Be Active”

(EHBA) community workshops through the FNP. The participants were attending classes

as part of an Adult Literacy Program. The workshops were delivered as a series of three

two-hour lessons. Using the evaluation tools designed for EHBA, participants completed

evaluations although the number of responses varied between six and twenty-two due to

attendance fluctuations by lesson. Overall, at least 86% of participants reported plans to

“order healthier foods the next time I eat at a restaurant or order take out” and “try a recipe

makeover this week” and “plan meals for the week ahead of time this week”.

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In Broward County, adults, ages 18 to 59 years, self-reported knowledge gain and intent to

change behavior following each FNP educational lesson. Lesson topics included nutrient-

rich foods, meal planning, physical activity, and food safety.

o 262 (94%) of 279 participants surveyed stated that they have gained nutrition knowledge as a result of attending FNP programs and now know more about the Dietary Guidelines, MyPyramid, MyPlate and healthy eating.

o 334 (90%) of 370 participants surveyed indicated that they are planning to consume more fruits and vegetables.

o 298 (94%) of 318 participants surveyed indicated that they are planning to modify their behavior and eat three meals per day including breakfast.

o 104 (88%) of 118 participants surveyed indicated that they plan to implement resource management ideas such as menu planning, using a spending plan/shopping list and/or comparison shop, as a result of attending FNP programs.

o 66 (85%) of 78 participants surveyed indicated that they are planning to change their behavior and that they have and/or are planning to exercise and/or incorporate more physical activity in their life.

o 64 (94%) of 76 participants surveyed indicated that they plan to wash their hands more often to prevent the spread of infection.

o 163 (89%) of 184 participants surveyed indicated that they shared the nutrition and/or food safety information with at least one other individual.

ELDER NUTRITION AND FOOD SAFETY OUTCOME EVALUATION (PROJECT: OLDER ADULTS) Older adult programming was evaluated using retrospective surveys with a sample of older

adults (n=538), 60 years or older, representing six Florida counties (Pinellas, Pasco, Levy,

Broward, Orange, Brevard). Following a 45-minute Elder

Nutrition and Food Safety lesson, participants were

asked to complete a 3-item survey to self-report

knowledge gain, intent to change, and a specific behavior

change intention. A 3-item Likert response scale was used for the first two items and

specific behaviors to change were listed for the final item. Examples of specific behaviors

are, “I plan to increase consumption of foods high in fiber” and “I plan use the Nutrition

Facts Label to choose foods that are lower in sodium, fats, and added sugar” and “I plan to

choose healthy beverage options more often.” Lesson topics were included in one of three

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modules: Unique Nutrition Needs of Older Adults, Healthy Eating for Older Adults, or Food

Safety Basics. Descriptive analyses of data were conducted by module. Results are

presented in Table 2. For all three modules, over 70% of participants identified at least one

specific behavior change they planned to make, indicating that older adults can be

motivated to make nutrition-related behavior change as a result of the FNP education.

Table 2: Results of Older Adult Programming by Module

Module

Percentage of Participants who

Reported Learning Some or A lot of

Knowledge


Plan to Make Changes


Identified at least One Specific Behavior to

Change Unique Nutrition Needs of Older Adults (n=198)

93% (n=185) 76% (n=185) 72% (n=143)

Healthy Eating for Older Adults (n=290)

94% (n=274) 71% (n=203) 70% (n=202)

Food Safety Basics (n=50)

96% (n=48) 80% (n=40) 86% (n=43)

All Modules (n=538) 94% (n=507) 80% (n=428) 72% (n=388)

APPENDIX B: STAFF/PARTNER TRAININGS

Annual Training (October) – This training was offered to highlight the availability of new nutrition education curricula, FNS/USDA initiatives, changes in reporting expectations, and professional development.

Evaluation Training (February) – This training was offered as a way for the new Nutrition Education Coordinator to implement evaluation protocols for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Planning Retreat (March) – A representative committee of program supervisors and program assistants gathered to strategize long-term organizational and programming plans.

Regional Trainings (June) – A summary of the planning retreat was provided as a training in four state regions.

Reinforcement of the Dietary Guidelines (August) – This training was a one-day review of key nutrition messages. Reducing sodium, solid fats, added sugars, and increasing whole grain foods were topics covered.

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APPENDIX C: CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND OR JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

Crisp, Faverty, Borjas & Tesar (2011, October). Getting Silly over Nutrition in Pasco. Poster presented at State EFNEP-FNP, Gainesville, Florida

Crisp, Faverty, Borjas & Tesar (2012, August). Healthy Celebrations. Poster presented at State Extension Professional Associations Function (EPAF), Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Petersen, A.A. (2012, September). Camp Cuisine: Experimenting in the Kitchen. Presented at National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Science Annual Conference, Columbus, Ohio.

Shephard, E.C. (2012, April). The Nutrition Edition Manual. Presented at Priester National Health Conference, Washington DC.

Shephard, E.C. (2012, September). The Nutrition Edition Manual. Presented poster at National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Science Annual Conference, Columbus, Ohio.

Taufer, J. A., Bryant, K. (2012, April). Getting Things Cooking: Food Check-Out Day at

the Farmers Market. Presented at the Central District 2012 Extension Faculty

Symposium, Bushnell, Florida.

Taufer, J. A., Bryant, K. (2012, September). The Health Benefits of Pomegranates. Presented at the first Annual Florida Pomegranate Association, UF/IFAS/Citrus Research Center, Lake Alfred, Florida.

Taufer, J. A., Cash, L. (2012, April). The Recipe for Diversity. Presented at the Central

District 2012 Extension Faculty Symposium, Bushnell, Florida.

APPENDIX D: CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT Dr. Karla Shelnutt, FNP principal investigator, and Dr. Gail Kauwell at UF/IFAS Extension worked with dietetics students to develop a curriculum called Youth Understanding MyPlate: Exploration Edition (YUM-EE) for middle school students in Grade 6 to Grade 8. Although development was not paid for with FNP funds, the curriculum was designed for and tested with SNAP-eligible audiences. The foundation of the six-lesson curriculum is the experiential learning model and the content is designed to introduce and reinforce the key consumer messages of MyPlate. Each evidence-based, peer-

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reviewed and pilot-tested lesson focuses on one or more of the consumer messages and includes a health lesson, science experiment, indoor and outdoor physical activity, and lesson-specific healthy snack. The lessons include:

Lesson 1: Enjoy Your Food! Lesson 2: Fill Up on Fruits and Veggies! Lesson 3: Switch to Whole Grains Lesson 4: Switch It Up with Fat-free and Low-fat Milk! Lesson 5: Easy on the Sodium! Lesson 6: Water Your Body!

Each lesson can be divided into a health/physical education lesson and a science lesson. Although the activities are different, the same MyPlate message is emphasized in each activity. The science experiments provide a creative way to deliver the nutrition message while satisfying requirements for a science classroom. Each lesson is intended to be approximately 50 minutes long and is divided into a learning activity, physical activity, and healthy snack. An indoor and outdoor physical activity is provided to allow for flexibility in whether the activity is performed in a classroom or outside on a field. Each lesson includes a brief review of the literature and a suggested dialogue for introducing and concluding the activity. The healthy snack is a fun and enjoyable way to end the lesson and to reinforce the nutrition concept learned in the lesson. An evaluation tool that includes both knowledge and behavior questions is included. APPENDIX E: PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITIES

Through a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences Team Nutrition Go for the Challenge Healthy Schools grant, FNP staff has been instrumental in working with school coordinators to apply for the Healthier U.S. School Challenge. In Orange County, one school was awarded $7,000 as a result of this partnership.

The FNP, Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), and The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, Inc. (BLUE) – These three entities continue to provide comprehensive nutrition education programming to limited-resource schools in multiple districts in Florida. FLDOE provided OrganWise Guys Core Curriculum Kits and Blue provided OrganWise Guys Foods of the Month Club Kits. FNP provided Program Assistants to teach nutrition classes with these materials.

Florida Food and Nutrition Interagency Committee (FIFNC) – FIFNC has been in

existence for nearly 30 years. In the past several years, it has taken on the responsibility of serving as the Florida State Nutrition Action Committee. FIFNC is comprised of the following agencies: Departments of Health, Education, Children & Families, and Agriculture; UF/IFAS; Florida Area Health Education Consortiums (AHEC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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Kellogg Foundation has provided funding in Collier County to supplement SNAP-Ed activities with OrganWise Guys materials.

Through a partnership with Sodexho and local agencies, the Santa Rosa County FNP staff was instrumental in the school district achieving the status of a Florida Healthy School District at the gold level, one of only three districts awarded at this level by the Florida Coordinated School Health Partnership (CSHP) and Florida Action for Healthy Kids. The FNP staff provided half of the nutrition education in the schools, presentations to school staff and parents, and educational after-school programs.

APPENDIX F: AWARDS

Recipient(s) and Title

Award Description

Annie Petersen, Orange County FNP Supervisor

NEAFCS Past Presidents’ New Professional Award – First Place National, Southern Region, and Florida Winner

The New Professional Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments of NEAFCS members within their first three years of employment.


NEAFCS Newsletter Award – Second Place National & Southern Region, First Place

The Newsletter Communication Award recognizes outstanding written communication through three different issues of an educational newsletter for either a special educational effort or regular extension program

Annie Petersen, Orange County FNP Supervisor & Deborah Freeman, Orange County FNP Program Assistant

NEAFCS Television/Video Award – Second Place National, First Place Southern Region & Florida Winner

The Television Communications Award recognizes excellence in an educational or promotional feature in a regular broadcast or a special program.


NEAFCS Community Partnership Award – First Place Florida Winner

The Community Partnership Award recognizes NEAFCS members for outstanding community partnership efforts in meeting the needs of families through collaboration with group, agencies and consumers.


NEAFCS Mary W. Wells Diversity Award – First Place Florida Winner

The Mary W. Wells Memorial Diversity Award is presented in support of the Cooperative Extension System emphasis on diversity and pluralism—a national program to respond to the changing workforce, population

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Award Description

Grisel Negron, Osceola County FNP Coord. and Eva Pabon, Osceola County, Horticulture Program Assistant

Business Partner of the Year, Osceola County School District

This award is given to businesses in the County who support students, teachers and schools in their educational endeavor.

Betsy Crisp, FCS agent/FNP Supervisor; Brenda Borjas, Karen Faverty, and Linda Tesar, Pasco FNP Program Assistants (PAs); Pasco Home & Community Education (HCE) volunteers

Pasco County Board of County Commissioners Resolution (Team) – March 2012

BOCC Resolution – Honoring Extension Nutrition Programming in Pasco helping local residents live well (Team – FCS/FNP/HCE)

Brenda Borjas, Pasco FNP PA

Outstanding Para-Professional – Florida Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (FEAFCS)

This award is to recognize an Extension para-professional who conducts outstanding educational programs.

Betsy Crisp, Pasco County FNP Supervisor

Program of Excellence (Individual) – Florida Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (FEAFCS)

This award is to recognize a professional Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Educator who is conducting outstanding educational programs that demonstrate impact on families.


Program of Excellence (Team) – Florida Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (FEAFCS)

This award is to recognize a professional Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Educator who is conducting outstanding educational programs that demonstrate impact on families.


Continued Excellence (Individual) – Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP)

This award is to recognize an Extension professional/faculty who continues to show leadership and conducts outstanding educational programs 10 or more years after receiving Distinguished Service Award (highest honor).


Wells Fargo – UF/IFAS This award is to recognize a professional Extension faculty who is conducting outstanding educational programs.

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Award Description

Wendy Lynch, Putnam County FNP, Supervisor

Sadler Distinguished Extension Professional and Enhancement Award

The Sadler Distinguished Extension Professional and Enhancement Award provides a term professorship and program support to two state or county Extension faculty members who have developed an exemplary education program for citizens in central Florida.

Lori Wiggins, Taylor County FNP Supervisor

Communication Award, Published Photo – Florida Association of 4-H Extension Agents

This award is to recognize a professional Extension Educator for an outstanding published photo as related to Extension work.

Lori Wiggins, Taylor County FNP Supervisor

Sustained Leadership & Service Award, Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP)

This award is to recognize a professional Extension Educator who is demonstrating sustained leadership within Epsilon Sigma Phi in Florida.

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APPENDIX G : SUCCESS STORIES

A female Hispanic participant at an Afterschool @ Your Library program in Broward County stated that after attending a lesson on adding fruits and vegetables to meals her mother has been trying to buy at least one different fruit a week. They all share the fruit at one meal and do a taste test. She said she is enjoying sharing her taste preferences with her family and they are trying to use fruits more as a dessert now rather than buying processed foods.

At a recent presentation at a Senior Center in Broward County, a participant stated that she had seen her grandchildren constantly drinking soda. After a recent FNP class entitled “Got your Dairy?” she decided to surprise the children with a refreshing strawberry & banana smoothie. The children were very excited to have a delicious treat and Grandma was happy to spread the word about healthy eating to the next generation.

A black female from Pat Larkins Senior Center stated that after participating in several Family Nutrition Programs she has slowly increased her water intake and reduced her soda intake. She is saving money and feeling better due to drinking less sugary drinks and increasing her water intake.

A participant from a Senior Center in Broward County mentioned that her weight has been gradually increasing. She also mentioned that she has been eating snack foods daily. Upon further discussion, she admitted that she was eating multiple packs of her favorite snack food. She had attended a Family Nutrition Program about How to Read the Nutrition Facts Label. She decided to begin to read the Fact label on the package and realized that she had been eating at least 2 or 3 servings of her favorite snack at a sitting. She realized that her increased weight was due in part to her inability to correctly read the label and that she had been eating 3 times the amount of calories than she thought. The participant was happy to report that by changing her snacking habit to only one portion a day, she has already started to lose weight.

A white male from a program in Broward County stated that he had recently discovered that he had high blood pressure. Due to his financial circumstances he thought that it was impossible for him to eat a healthy diet. After attending a Family Nutrition Program class, he decided to begin by reading the Nutrition Facts Label on each product before he purchased it. He found that some of the canned soups he was eating had excessive amounts of sodium. Adding fresh vegetables to his diet and making homemade soups without salt have resulted in a slight reduction in his blood pressure and learning new recipes have given him the desire to branch out to other healthy foods.

Collier County FNP Program Assistants provided nutrition education at 19 schools during the 2012 school year. This was the second year of participation for 8 of the schools. Each Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classroom received a series of lessons,

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using the OrganWise Guys teaching tools. The lessons were matched to the health curriculum map. Collier County FNP is participating in a program supported by funding from the W K Kellogg Foundation. With their support FNP was able to provide every elementary school and Head Start program with a OrganWise Guys teaching kit, which includes books, DVDs, lesson plans, dolls and other teaching tools.

Here are samples of the teachers’ comments:

“I believe that students are now more aware of what they are eating. They also understand that it is important to keep your body moving.” “I believe they are more aware of healthy food choices, the importance of drinking water, & fun forms of exercise.” “The kids are definitely more excited and interested in their bodies and health.” “Kids make better choices at lunch; they know milk is good for bones.” “All students make sure that they choose one fruit and one vegetable with their school lunch every day.” “Children are choosing more fruits and vegetables based on what they have learned in OrganWise Guys program.” “Students show awareness of making positive food choices during lunch and snack every day. Students are involved in more physical activity during and after school. Students discuss the importance of eating healthy foods. Also students share information. They have learned from the program during class discussions.”

“Much more hand washing (after bathroom, after sneezing, before snack) and more use of hand sanitizer!”

“Students are more willing to try different vegetables & fruits during snack and lunch.” “They do talk about good food to eat vs. junk food. Many have tried fruits and veggies they have never had.”

Teachers were also asked “Have your own food choices or other behaviors changed since this nutrition program started in your classroom?” Students weren’t the only ones learning in the classroom! Many teachers are drinking more water, are more physically active, are eating more fruits and vegetables and having more food and fitness discussions in their classrooms.

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Teacher’s comments about their own behavior:

“I have been more aware of the need to drink water throughout my day.” “I try to eat more salads and drink less soda. I don’t bring soda to work anymore or drink it in front of students.” “Like my students, I have been eating more fruits/veggies & have been more aware of what I am eating.” “I try to model healthy choices for the students. I encourage all the students to eat the snack by showing them that I enjoy it also.” “I make an effort to model healthy eating habits and discuss physical activity with the students. We incorporate movement into our learning activities.” “I bought a bike and go bike riding now!” “I give animal cracker packets instead of candy for holidays. I give tooth brushes, tooth paste and soap. I also have jump ropes and small balls in my treasure box. Yes! I always remember the OrganWise rules. Low fat, high fiber. Lots of water & exercise.” “I am eating more low fat/high fiber food and serving healthier treats and rewards to my kids.”

A series of 16 FNP sessions were held at a local day care in Columbia County. The classes were two 30-minute sessions, back-to-back, for four weeks. The YUM curriculum was used and very well received. Each lesson in YUM includes a snack, which is always a hit with children! Sometimes, however, there a few children who are hesitant. The director of the pre-k program has a rule that everyone has to always try and taste what is being served. She tells the children, “You don’t have to eat it but you have to try it” and “You never know, you might like it”! Most of the children quickly ate their snack. The children who hesitated, did try their snack and most of the time, finished it. Even if it meant eating the ingredients separately, everyone tried their snack! Several of them said “I didn’t know I would like this”! or, “I never had this before; I’m going to ask my mom to buy this”! The surprise of enjoying a new snack, hopefully, will carry over as the children grow and remember that it was fun to try something new. The FNP program, YUM, provides the education as well as practical

A family participating in an FNP cooking activity at the YMCA in Pinellas County. They learned about whole grains and were making a stir fry with vegetables and brown rice.

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application of children becoming more familiar and comfortable with trying many different kinds of healthful foods.

A mother stopped an FNP educator in Lafayette County as they were walking to a classroom at the school. She told her that each time she presented the programs where food samples were provided to the 2nd grade, her daughter insisted that they go to the grocery store to purchase the ingredients so that they may duplicate the recipe at home. That week’s presentation involved using avocados, which they had never tasted before. They made guacamole and served it with multigrain scoops. The mom had never had an avocado before, and didn’t even know how to cut one, but her daughter told her not to worry, “because [the educator] showed us how”, and she proceeded to instruct her mother. Their homemade guacamole was a hit, even with dad! And even better, the mother shared what she was doing, and why, with the employees at the local grocery store, which is where [the educator] told the children she purchased the products from, and therefore where they knew to go to purchase their own.

An FNP educator in Levy County has been working with disabled adults for numerous

years. During one of her classes, multiple students came up after the class and shared with her how much weight they had lost because of things she had told them. Many of them reported eating healthier snacks because she had provided a sample and the recipe.

A woman called the Liberty County office and wanted to let [the educator] know her granddaughter came home excited the other day saying “Grandma did you know that the food pyramid is now a plate?!” and went on to talk about it. The child educated the grandparent which brought about awareness of the new icon for how to eat.

Three of the schools in Martin County where FNP is offered also have the Department of Agriculture’s Food & Nutrition Service’s daily Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program. At the end of the year, the surveyed teachers remarked how the children were able to comprehend the combination of both tasting and the Family Nutrition Program’s educational lessons. A sampling of the highlighted comments included:

“My students now understand that fruits and vegetables are a healthy snack and bring them daily for snacks. They also understand how many servings a day they should have of each food group!” “The students are more aware of which foods are good for their bodies and how things like chips, sodas, and sweets are not.” “The students look forward to your nutrition class each month and then reference the things that you teach them as they come up in their daily lives. The Nutrition program helps them think about better nutrition choices and many of them are trying new foods in their diet.”

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“I've just noticed that whenever we discuss eating something, the children all make comments about how we need to eat healthy food for our brain and our bones.” “I teach students who have cognitive disabilities. The nutrition class has made them more aware of the fruits and veggies at lunch. It is wonderful to see them go to lunch and be able to identify fruits and veggies that they have learned about or repeat information they have learned about staying healthy. It leaves a lasting impression on my students.”

An FNP educator in Nassau County taught the YUM curriculum at an elementary school. The students learned the different MyPlate food groups and were able to discern healthier food choices. The principal of the school reported that her students would come to her and declare the fruits and vegetables they were eating during [the educator’s] tenure at the school. After the first introductory lesson to the different MyPlate food groups, one of her first grade students informed her that “The FNP educator would be teaching the grains food group today”, upon the educator’s entrance to the classroom. The student remarked, “Orange. Grains Group”. The student recognized that she was wearing an orange jacket, the representative color of the grains group. Several parents informed the educator that their children were guiding grocery shopping and healthy food choices from their lessons in her classes. One of her students asked if eating carrots and ranch dressing were a satisfactory food choice. The educator stated that a lower fat and calorie dressing would be a healthier choice. He then remarked that he had already begun to eat the carrots without dressing. A teacher reported that one of her students made a special food request for the end of the school year party. This student had attended [the educator’s] nutrition classes. Usually pizza and desserts are served at these parties. This student requested that fruits and vegetables be served.

During the 2011-2012 school year the Orange County FNP Garden-Based Nutrition Education Program expanded to provide hands on experiential learning to middle school students with disabilities who need specially designed instruction and participate in the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Program. The purpose of ESE is to help each child with a disability progress in school and prepare for life after school which FNP staff and school administrators felt like was a great fit for gardening and nutrition education to encourage a positive change in dietary and physical activity behaviors. Twenty-four ESE students at a middle school participated in the 14 week Garden-Based Nutrition Education Program. At the end of the program, the ESE Teacher commented, “This program is wonderful in the fact that they did choose an ESE class. It is an opportunity that probably ESE children don’t get. For them it is important for them to understand that they can actually do something for themselves. That’s valuable. The other kids see them watering the plants so it gives them the opportunity to share what they have learned with other mainstream kids. Social awareness of our kids and the garden has actually brought them together.”

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After teaching at an Elementary School in Osceola County, a kindergarten student’s mother stated on a parent’s survey the following; “Brandon is more aware of food that is good for you instead of junk food like chips or cookies. His eating habits have improved”.

A 5th grade teacher at another Elementary School in Osceola County stated that her students were positively impacted by the nutrition education classes. They will talk among themselves about what they will be eating at the cafeteria and what they will do to burn calories.

Chefs across the US are answering First Lady Michele Obama’s call to get involved with their local schools as part of the Chefs Move to Schools initiative - U.S. Department of

Agriculture. Locally, two chefs asked the Pasco Family Nutrition Program to team-up with them to adopt two elementary schools in Pasco County. They are working with teachers, parents, school nutritionists, administrators and community groups to help educate approximately 1,300 children and show that learning about nutrition can be fun! Students learn how to grow vegetables and herbs in the school garden and taste similar produce in various recipes featured at lunch in the cafeteria as in “Cheesy Macaroni with Trees” (broccoli) featured on the menu at an elementary school. An FNP educator is going into classrooms to teach nutrition and offer taste-tests. She is also working with the chef to promote “Harvest Week” where the students are encouraged to wear the color of the fruit/vegetable featured that week.

A “Healthy Celebrations” food preparation class was presented to two Culinary Arts classes at a Technical Education Center in Pasco County. After learning about typical, as well as less obvious, substitutions that can take a dessert recipe from a caloric nightmare to healthier fare, fruits were highlighted as the sweet treat of choice proving that low-calorie fruit desserts do not have to be boring. Students learned from hands-on experience in the form of a contest that with imagination, creativity, and a little effort, special celebration fruit desserts could wow their guests with a variety of colors, shapes and textures! Two teams competed by preparing the same fruit salad, one served in a watermelon bowl: one team created a “beach basket;” the other a “treasure chest;” both included a low-fat fruit dip, served in a melon bowl. Students successfully applied the new skills learned and were very proud of their accomplishments. As a reward, students enjoyed eating their creations down to the last piece of fruit, demonstrating that they agreed―“Healthy fruits can make tasty and delicious desserts!” (Two teams competed

An FNP school garden in Putnam County.

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in the morning class and two other teams competed that afternoon in the next session.) All this was properly timed as it followed a food safety class by an FNP educator to warm-up/increase knowledge/reduce stress before 23 of these students took University of Florida’s intensive 6-hour food safety training course (19 successfully passed the ServSafe exam!) These students worked really hard all year to develop their culinary skills with a Chef, learn nutrition with the FNP educator, and achieve their food service manager certification with the FNP supervisor that helps prove their competence in the area of food safety and shows readiness to work in the food service industry.

The FNP educator in Pinellas County taught a series of seven classes to parents at the Spanish Outreach Center in the winter of 2012. She asked the participants to share what they learned about nutrition during the classes she taught. Since many of the class members speak and write limited English, she had them write comments in Spanish about the classes. Answers included “I learned to drink more water, eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables.” One participant shared that she had actually made some small changes from what she learned in class. She started by trying to cook with less fat when she prepared her family meals and drinking more water instead of soda. She also indicated she was beginning to include some different types of fruits and vegetables into her family meals.

The FNP Nutrition Gardens achieved remarkable success at an Elementary School in Putnam County during the 2011 through 2012 school year. Kindergarten through 5th grade actively participated in the gardens. The FNP educator had the privilege of working weekly with ten different classes. In October, the garden consisted of nine empty boxes that we put into production. Because there was such enthusiasm for the project, ten more boxes were added. The students performed all the tasks. They planned and set up the boxes. They planted the seeds, watered, fertilized, weeded and harvested. The bounty included corn, green beans, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, eggplant, okra, potatoes, sunflowers and so much more!

Between the garden, the classroom and the kitchen, there are countless lessons to be shared. Many children tasted new and nutritious foods for the first time. They learned the importance of eating a variety of healthier foods. The students were introduced to gardening basics that were simple enough to recreate at home. Garden activity also provided exercise and positive social interaction through teamwork. The project was concluded at the end of the school year and will begin again in the fall. Approximately 180 students actively participated in the gardens. The project became a source of pride for the whole school including the entire student body, faculty and staff. A very similar project was done at another elementary school and there are two other schools adding FNP gardens and curriculum to their campuses. The success of this program is easily duplicated.

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A series of four FNP lessons were conducted at the Health Department in Sarasota County. A husband and wife were referred by one of the health department physicians to attend the FNP classes on healthy eating and creating a healthier lifestyle. Both husband and wife participated in all four of the classes. Both husband and wife were considered obese and had been on numerous weight loss programs without success. The wife shared with the program assistant that ”I am not overly concerned about losing weight, but rather getting healthy by learning proper nutrition and the importance of exercise and the weight loss will come.” The husband needed to lose weight prior to gastric bypass surgery. He suffered from joint pain and other health complications due to his weight. The couple embraced the healthier eating lifestyle and both were successful in losing weight. The husband lost enough weight to have his surgery and has lost approximately 125 pounds to date, and his wife has lost over 15 pounds. The husband stated, “I feel great and we both follow a 60 minute a day exercise routine. The nutrition education we received from the Family Nutrition Program has given us the tools and healthy recipes to keep us on track with our new healthier eating program.”

Fourth and fifth grade students at South Woods elementary partnered with the University of Florida IFAS/St. Johns County Extension Family Nutrition Program focusing on healthy snacks for late Fall 2011. The theme was “Healthy Halloween.” As part of a science project, youth were paired in groups of four and given a bag of fresh raw vegetables that consisted of snow peas, mushrooms, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, green and yellow bell peppers to create a ‘skeleton’ with the harvest. Many students participating in the event had neither tried the new vegetables that were introduced to them by the educator nor were familiar with the various vegetables associated with the food group. Once their creation was finished, a picture was taken of their skeleton to be judged by student peers. The students were then able to enjoy the fresh vegetables with ranch dip made from low-fat sour cream. On average, seven out of ten students from each class had tried a new raw vegetable for the first time. Out of those students, five out of six said they loved the new vegetable they tried and will add it to their diet. The favorites among the students were the snow peas and the yellow bell peppers. The students commented, “wow I’ve never tried one of these, they sure are crunchy, sweet and yummy!” A few tables even “cleaned their entire plate”. One student even commented, “I use to not like bell peppers at all, but now I love the yellow ones!” The students learned that they can substitute candy for something just as delicious but much healthier for Halloween.

After a lesson on food safety at the Pregnancy Resource Center in Santa Rosa County, a young father commented that he had no idea food should not be left out for more than two hours. “I’m glad you told us about this before Thanksgiving,” he stated.

An FNP educator in Suwannee County worked with a small core of elementary school teachers to write an “Ag in the Classroom” grant to fund supplies for gardens and found

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other donations of time and materials to sustain them. Raised bed and hydroponic gardens were used to raise several varieties of lettuce, snow peas, herbs, and potatoes. Most of the 52 classes totaling almost 900 students, led by the educator, prepared the soil, planted, harvested and ate the crops. The classroom teachers taught garden-related lessons such as plant parts, photosynthesis, growth, etc. while the educator connected human nutrition to plant nutrition. At lettuce-harvest time, visual evaluation by the teachers and other adults revealed that 86% of students ate their lettuce with just a bit of fat-free ranch-style dressing to dip it in. More impressive is the incident when a local farmer participating in the “Farm-To-School” program at the high school delivered “extra” lettuce to the school. Having previously been involved in conversations with the FNP educator about the garden, the cafeteria director called her to ask her opinion of how it might be served at lunch. The FNP educator suggested that the cafeteria staff give each student a couple of leaves and a small amount of dressing to dip them in. That day almost all of the lettuce was consumed by the students. Everyone involved with the school agreed that it was a definite sign of gardening-nutrition success!

In Dixie County there are only two grocery stores, so it is very common to meet the parents of the children that are impacted by FNP. One such encounter involved two children running up to the FNP educator and announcing “mommy this is the lady who teaches us about fruits and veggies”. The parent then replied “so you are responsible for my kids wanting fresh fruit”. The FNP educator explained that FNP was providing nutrition education in their school and she was in the middle of the second series of six lessons, each involving trying new foods or familiar foods prepared healthier. Through the course of the conservation the educator learned that the parent wanted to provide the food her children wanted, but it was difficult for her to afford the fresh produce and her time was limited in meal preparation. The teachable moment began! Shopping together the FNP educator read labels and discussed how the parent could shop and choose foods based on unit price, nutrition levels and food stuff substitutions. A few weeks later, the FNP educator saw the same family shopping and was thanked for the help because not only did the parent feel better providing foods her kids wanted but she had become a better shopper and her money was lasting till the end of the month.

Flagler county FNP partnered with “New Beginnings” Family Literacy Program to conduct the Eat Healthy – Be Active Workshop. Three of the six lessons were completed over a period of five weeks. Eleven young families actively participated and are now making educated choices to balance calories, consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats and refined grains. One participant in the EHBE workshop proudly admitted that she is now able to understand the Nutrition Facts labels and can make informed food choices for her family. She states “I have switched my family from whole milk to 1% and stopped buying white bread and packaged foods with too much salt. My children eat fruits and vegetables now instead of junk food.”

FNP has incorporated healthy recipes to include the seasonal harvests from the nutrition garden at this facility which is maintained by the program participants and

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their family members. The same young mother mentioned above has enrolled herself in the Flagler County Extension Master Gardener Program so that she can grow fruits and vegetables for her family.

A four-day, summer day camp was held in Taylor County for twenty-five youth, ages 7-12, focusing on nutrition and food preparation. Youth were taught lessons on nutrition, MyPlate, food groups, food preparation and food safety. One of the parents of a camper reported in a post camp follow-up survey, that as a result of the camp, her daughter was more aware of her food choices and was making a better effort to make healthier food choices, on a daily basis. She had also been helping her family learn about MyPlate and helping to plan menus and helping to prepare meals. The parent stated they didn’t realize the importance of teaching children about nutrition and food preparation skills at such an early age until this day camp and was glad that she learned about it now.

Documents

Florida SNAP-Ed Narrative Annual Report - eXtension