WEST PLAINS, Mo.- Beginning this week, fifth grade students from Glenwood Elementary will learn about gardening, healthy eating, and community service thanks to a grant through Missouri 4-H.
4-H Student Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC) initiative is a program developed with the University of Missouri Extension’s Family Nutrition Education Program and Missouri 4-H. The club, which has no cost to members, focuses on healthy eating habits along with leadership and citizenship skills that are central to 4-H. SNAC clubs across Missouri are being established to reach new youth and families through partnerships with nutrition education programs, schools, and other nutrition education programs for underserved youth. The club will meet in school with the Howell County nutrition educators serving as the club leaders.
“We are thrilled to have received this grant from Missouri 4-H,” stated Nutrition Program Educator Jennifer Callahan. “It gives us the opportunity to combine programs which ultimately benefits the children.”
Callahan and Howell County’s other Nutrition Program Educator Hilliary Shumock will be teaching Eating from the Garden, a program created to improve the eating habits of children by exposing them to a hands-on garden experience. The goal behind the program is to provide research-based information in the hopes of increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables. The program promotes healthier food choices, gardening knowledge, and physical activity.
The program becomes a 4-H program with the addition of an advocacy project where students will apply the techniques and knowledge gained and then turn around and educate their community. In this case, students will be creating posters enticing their peers to eat vegetables and grow gardens while also conducting a food drive to donate to the local food pantry.
“This is such a great program and opportunity for the nutrition program and 4-H to combine forces to reach more children,” stated Howell County Youth Development Specialist Dr. Krista Tate. “The grant we received pays for the supplies and allows for every student involved to get a 4-H SNAC club t-shirt. The program has been very successful in Ozark County, and so we decided to try it in Howell County as well.”
For more information on 4-H or the 4-H SNAC program, contact Dr. Tate at 417-256-2391.
