PBS-Expanded School Effort
Problem:
According to the 1995 Iowa Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), only 15 percent of adults eat the minimum recommendation of three vegetables and two fruits each day (the national average is 23 percent). Furthermore, Iowa is a state with a high rate of obesity and individuals leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Response:
ISU Extension and the Iowa Department of Public Health have cooperated to develop educational materials to be used in the classroom and with the social marketing aspect of this program. For 2 years Extension has employed a part time staff person to make weekly visits to the pre-school to 4th grade classrooms at Hills and Twain Elementary in the Iowa City Community School Distract (ICCSD). During these visits, the students learn about a different produce item each week and have the opportunity to taste it and learn how to prepare it. They take information home to their family about the produce items.
During the summer of 2004, it was indicated that USDA may change the parameters for the program. Because of the success we had experienced, we started seeking other sources of funding. Our first stop was the local Extension Council. We explained to them what the program had accomplished to date and the number of students not being reached because of income guideline restrictions and lack of funding. We suggested to the Johnson County Extension Council that by using dollars saved through the partnership agreement (sharing the county extension education director with another county) we could expand nutrition education to many youth in the Iowa City Community School District.
Impact:
The Johnson County Extension Council voted to spend $24,000 to expand the Pick a Better Snack program to 9 more schools. Our current program assistant will add four more schools to her list spending 9 weeks at each school. The focus will be K-2nd grade students. We will also hire someone for 20 hours per week to work in five additional schools using the 9-week model. This means that with the help of the local Extension Council, the program will be present in 13 Elementary schools in the Iowa City Community School District working to increase exposure to and eventual consumption of fruits and vegetables. We should reach a minimum of 1,200 additional students as a result of their cooperation. We will continue to work in our original schools of Hills and Twain, meeting with the students every week. The federal grant dollars will allow us to work in two more schools that now meet the income guidelines of the grant.
The Pick a Better Snack program is being a model program in several ways. We have seen the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa State University Extension cooperate very closely on development of materials that have been funded by federal dollars. We are now seeing local dollars build upon that seed money to expand this nutrition education to all students regardless of their household income. The PBS classroom model will also be used in two neighboring counties. Were it not for the initial federal dollars, these locally funded programs would not be happening.
We are currently preparing for the new PBS school year and look forward to sharing great reports. Following are several comments from teachers and students from the 2004-05 school year in Johnson County. As I attended end of year snack lessons with the nutrition educator, one student said to me, "If your company is the one that does Pick a Better Snack, you let them know, 'They Rock!'" I promised to share that with USDA and Iowa State University officials. Take note - You Rock!
Student Comments:
· "This (cabbage) is the best snack you've ever brought.”
· “I saw a PBS sign when I was with my mom at the store. I also asked her to buy a
mango.”
· “Every school should have Pick a Better Snack.”
· “Pick a Better Snack is my favorite time of the week.”
· “I brought strawberries for my birthday treats.”
· “I never knew I would like cauliflower, but I do.”
· “I used to not like grape tomatoes – now I love them.”
· “I learned how to be brave in PBS.”
Adult Comments:
· “When my students earned a class party for good behavior, we had a brainstorming session on what kinds of snacks to have for the party. Without any prompting from me, students suggested carrots with ranch dressing, celery sticks with peanut butter, pineapple, oranges, apples, and cheese sticks for the class party. (They also wanted to have yogurt, chocolate milk, and Oreo's!)”
· “I have watched the kindergartners develop a “braver” attitude about foods that they may not have ever tried. They are excited to learn about the fruits and vegetables in this program and talk about them in our classroom as well as when making lunch choices. We also talk about the lesson information throughout the week as we have other snacks and activities.”
· “My students have grown in their appreciation of foods that are new. Every one of them are at least willing to try something that they think they don't like, looks or smells funny to them, or they have already tried and know they don't like it. They have also acquired an appreciation for the students who really like a fruit or veggie that they may not themselves.”
· “I have noticed that many of my students are more willing to try new foods in the lunch room. They have also made different choices because of the things they have tried with Pick A Better Snack (choose foods they thought they didn't like). Several students have reported that they have asked their parents to purchase new foods to have at home because they tried it at school and like it. I feel my students are more aware of healthy choices and their value. They tell me they chose the green beans because “they are good for me.” They use vocabulary that they have learned, such as vitamins, fruit, vegetable, etc. and ask questions about food served in the lunch room.”
Contact:
Jan Temple, Nutrition and Health Field Specialist, Housed in Johnson County
4265 Oak Crest Hill Road SE
Iowa City, IA 52246
Phone 319-337-2145; FAX 319-337-7864
E-mail mjtemple@iastate.edu
According to the 1995 Iowa Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), only 15 percent of adults eat the minimum recommendation of three vegetables and two fruits each day (the national average is 23 percent). Furthermore, Iowa is a state with a high rate of obesity and individuals leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Response:
ISU Extension and the Iowa Department of Public Health have cooperated to develop educational materials to be used in the classroom and with the social marketing aspect of this program. For 2 years Extension has employed a part time staff person to make weekly visits to the pre-school to 4th grade classrooms at Hills and Twain Elementary in the Iowa City Community School Distract (ICCSD). During these visits, the students learn about a different produce item each week and have the opportunity to taste it and learn how to prepare it. They take information home to their family about the produce items.
During the summer of 2004, it was indicated that USDA may change the parameters for the program. Because of the success we had experienced, we started seeking other sources of funding. Our first stop was the local Extension Council. We explained to them what the program had accomplished to date and the number of students not being reached because of income guideline restrictions and lack of funding. We suggested to the Johnson County Extension Council that by using dollars saved through the partnership agreement (sharing the county extension education director with another county) we could expand nutrition education to many youth in the Iowa City Community School District.
Impact:
The Johnson County Extension Council voted to spend $24,000 to expand the Pick a Better Snack program to 9 more schools. Our current program assistant will add four more schools to her list spending 9 weeks at each school. The focus will be K-2nd grade students. We will also hire someone for 20 hours per week to work in five additional schools using the 9-week model. This means that with the help of the local Extension Council, the program will be present in 13 Elementary schools in the Iowa City Community School District working to increase exposure to and eventual consumption of fruits and vegetables. We should reach a minimum of 1,200 additional students as a result of their cooperation. We will continue to work in our original schools of Hills and Twain, meeting with the students every week. The federal grant dollars will allow us to work in two more schools that now meet the income guidelines of the grant.
The Pick a Better Snack program is being a model program in several ways. We have seen the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa State University Extension cooperate very closely on development of materials that have been funded by federal dollars. We are now seeing local dollars build upon that seed money to expand this nutrition education to all students regardless of their household income. The PBS classroom model will also be used in two neighboring counties. Were it not for the initial federal dollars, these locally funded programs would not be happening.
We are currently preparing for the new PBS school year and look forward to sharing great reports. Following are several comments from teachers and students from the 2004-05 school year in Johnson County. As I attended end of year snack lessons with the nutrition educator, one student said to me, "If your company is the one that does Pick a Better Snack, you let them know, 'They Rock!'" I promised to share that with USDA and Iowa State University officials. Take note - You Rock!
Student Comments:
· "This (cabbage) is the best snack you've ever brought.”
· “I saw a PBS sign when I was with my mom at the store. I also asked her to buy a
mango.”
· “Every school should have Pick a Better Snack.”
· “Pick a Better Snack is my favorite time of the week.”
· “I brought strawberries for my birthday treats.”
· “I never knew I would like cauliflower, but I do.”
· “I used to not like grape tomatoes – now I love them.”
· “I learned how to be brave in PBS.”
Adult Comments:
· “When my students earned a class party for good behavior, we had a brainstorming session on what kinds of snacks to have for the party. Without any prompting from me, students suggested carrots with ranch dressing, celery sticks with peanut butter, pineapple, oranges, apples, and cheese sticks for the class party. (They also wanted to have yogurt, chocolate milk, and Oreo's!)”
· “I have watched the kindergartners develop a “braver” attitude about foods that they may not have ever tried. They are excited to learn about the fruits and vegetables in this program and talk about them in our classroom as well as when making lunch choices. We also talk about the lesson information throughout the week as we have other snacks and activities.”
· “My students have grown in their appreciation of foods that are new. Every one of them are at least willing to try something that they think they don't like, looks or smells funny to them, or they have already tried and know they don't like it. They have also acquired an appreciation for the students who really like a fruit or veggie that they may not themselves.”
· “I have noticed that many of my students are more willing to try new foods in the lunch room. They have also made different choices because of the things they have tried with Pick A Better Snack (choose foods they thought they didn't like). Several students have reported that they have asked their parents to purchase new foods to have at home because they tried it at school and like it. I feel my students are more aware of healthy choices and their value. They tell me they chose the green beans because “they are good for me.” They use vocabulary that they have learned, such as vitamins, fruit, vegetable, etc. and ask questions about food served in the lunch room.”
Contact:
Jan Temple, Nutrition and Health Field Specialist, Housed in Johnson County
4265 Oak Crest Hill Road SE
Iowa City, IA 52246
Phone 319-337-2145; FAX 319-337-7864
E-mail mjtemple@iastate.edu
Last update: December 8, 2005
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