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NARRATOR: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, since 1980 the prevalence
of overweight children ages six to eleven years has increased from 6.5 percent to 18.8
percent. In response to this alarming trend, schools are focusing more on teaching nutrition
and physical activity, as well as implementing wellness policies and other requirements.
All these requirements can leavin one feeling a bit overwhelmed; however Show Me Nutrition
can help you make sense of these requirements. Show Me Nutrition is a comprehensive nutrition
education curriculum for students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and provided by the family
nutrition education programs University of Missouri Extension. Trained educators teach
students about nutrition and physical activity at your school using the Show Me Nutrition
curriculum. Robin Bishop teaches at David Barton Elementary School and recognizes how
important this can be. ROBIN BISHOP: Any principal in any school
would be blessed to have her come in because it helps the kids become more aware. As a
teacher, I didn’t take a class in college about how to teach nutrition and that wasn’t
something that we, you know, you don’t focus on that in college. But it’s so important
to teach them how to take care of themselves. NARRATOR: Janine Reynolds from Pinkerton Elementary
appreciates that the program comes to her classroom.
JANINE REYNOLDS: This is an excellent program that Extension is doing. It comes directly
to the students while they’re in their safe environment, we don’t have to go out, everything
they need is provided, even so much as the one on one and all of it is geared to their
grade level and age. NARRATOR: The Show Me Nutrition curriculum
uses hands on learning, allows kids to taste healthy foods, is developmentally appropriate,
flexible as to the number of lessons taught and it's free. The Show Me Nutrition curriculum
supports your school's wellness policy, helps teachers adopt healthy behaviors, increases
students nutrition knowledge and improves their healthy behaviors. Our nutrition education
contributes to your school's high quality curriculum enhancing your review for the Missouri
school improvement program. Susan Williams is principal at David Barton
Elementary and has seen firsthand the changes in students at her school.
SUSAN WILLIAMS: We used to order and serve lots of doughnuts, now we don’t do that
as much, offer fresh fruit and unsweetened things as much as we can. And kids, even when
there are doughnuts, or cookies or things like that for breakfast will often choose
the fruit or the unsweetened cereal instead of a traditional sweet breakfast.
NARRATOR: Students learn how to make healthy food choices, the importance of washing their
hands and other food safety skills and had to be more physically active. Show Me Nutrition
teaches Show Me education standards, meets health and physical education at grade level
expectations and aligns with grade level expectations from other areas such as math and Communication
Arts where appropriate. Susan Williams has seen this put into practice.
SUSAN WILLIAMS: As a principal, we have grade level expectations that all children have
to reach at each grade level and nutrition is one of those objectives. We have to make
sure children are introduced to certain facts. When we have Extension service in to do that,
we know that each child at each grade level receives the same up to date information.
If classroom teachers were presenting that, some would present it with more enthusiasm
than others, or might not have quite as much information, and this way I’m sure that
each student has a good background in nutrition education.
NARRATOR: Teachers have also reported positive changes in student behavior as a result of
Show Me Nutrition. 62 percent of students make healthier meal and snack choices. 66
percent of students were more willing to try new foods. 47 percent of students increased
their physical activity. 82 percent of students improved hand washing.
SARA LOESING: I’ve had the program in my classroom for the past 11 years and I’ve
definitely noticed significant changes. I allow them to have a snack in the morning,
because we have the late lunch shift everyday, and their snacks have changed from potato
chips, Doritos, that type of snack to fruit, carrot sticks, wheat crackers, that type of
thing. So I’ve definitely noticed a difference. I also heard some discussion, we get a choice
between two different entrees for lunch and if it’s a hard decision, they’ll say,
“Well, I’m going to pick this because it’s healthier.” Their activity level
will change because they have more energy and they’re going to participate better
in class. I don’t have as many students that are “Sleepers” that I used to see,
you know, not getting as much sleep, but if they have a good breakfast, a great lunch,
they’re energized, they’re ready to go for the day.
TINA SHEA: Part of the program has been to play some kind of a game using the food groups
and I see them imitating that game out at recess or they’ll be talking at lunch about
some of the foods they wish they had and usually it’s something they were exposed to in the
program. So they definitely carry it on with them and we like to go for recess anyway.
We jump rope and run around and we talk about how important activity is and they definitely
relate it to the program also. NARRATOR: Robin Bishop has observed improve
hand washing among her students. ROBIN BISHOP: And I hear kids say, “Ms.
Bishop, he didn’t use soap,” or “he didn’t wash his hands.” Miss Ivy often
has them do their ABC’s while they’re washing their hands so they wash them long
enough to actually get the germs off and so you hear a lot of those kind of comments.
So in terms of activities I’ve seen the changes, not only what they do at recess and
how they play at PE, but also the activities in keeping themselves healthy.
NARRATOR: Teachers report changes in their own behavior as well. 56 percent of teachers
model or talk about being more willing to try new foods with students. 70 percent of
teachers model or talk about hand washing with students. 67 percent of teachers model
let's talk about making healthier meal or snack choices but students. 54 percent of
teachers model or talk about being more physically active. Robin Bishop has made changes in her
beverage choices as a result of having the Show Me Nutrition program in her classes.
ROBIN BISHOP: I’ve gotten to where I buy juice or I buy water so that what I do grab
or what I bring in is giving the kids a good model for what they should be drinking. Other
faculty have changed as well. We’re trying to be more health conscious and we’re talking
about replacing our soda machine with a juice machine here at school. So I think we’re
all trying to be more health conscious because we are models for the kids. Whether we intend
to be or not, they pick up on pretty much everything you present to them whether you’re
intending them to catch it or not. ASHLI TATUM: I think it gives it a positive
effect, not only to the kids, but the workers around here, because we sitting in on the
classes too, so we’re also getting feedback from the classes. We’re also learning how
to eat healthier, how to exercise and stay healthy also. So I think it’s a wonderful
effect on the community as a whole. NARRATOR: Students and teachers aren't the
only ones benefiting from this program. Children bring home school news letters that include
recipes for foods they’ve tasted during class and then share what they've learned
with their families. These newsletters are part of the pre-kindergarten through fifth
grade curriculum. Carol Ivy, a nutrition program assistant describes the changes in eating
habits in one student's family. CAROL IVY: I had a parent come up to me last
year and she said to me, “It’s because of you, that we now are experiencing whole
grains in our meals now. Because it was information that was brought home to my child, not only
through the newsletters, but through the teaching of it that whole grains were much better for
us and so we decided as a family that this is what we were going to do. We were going
to try the whole grains. NARRATOR: It's easy to understand why 97 percent
of teachers who participated last year want the Show Me Nutrition program again.
SARA LOESING: It is so helpful for us. There are so many things that as instructors we’re
required to teach and when you have an expert that comes into the classroom with these fun
games and this enthusiasm, it’s just remarkable. So, we’re just really lucky to have it here.
NARRATOR: Word of the program’s success is spreading throughout Missouri.
ANDRE PARKS: I know that there are other facilities that are using your program which is a good
sign that you guys are doing something positive. NARRATOR: To begin Show Me Nutrition in your
school contact your local regional coordinator to determine if your school meets income guidelines.
Contact information is included in your Show Me Nutrition brochure. To have the Show Me
Nutrition program as a no cost curriculum in your school, you'll be asked to complete
some or all of the following documents: agency contribution match form, salary and wage form,
consent certification form. Your regional coordinator or nutrition program assistant
will discuss these documents with you in more detail. Your students can enjoy the same kind
of benefits that the Show Me Nutrition program has brought to children through Missouri.
Contact your regional coordinator to bring Show Me Nutrition to your school or community
center.