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Page 2 of 44
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Team Leader, Work Distribution, WTL Feedback
Team Leader
WTL Feedback
Community Partner
Problem Statement
Project Purpose
10
10
10
Research Basis
12
17
Evaluation Table
24
Logic Model
27
Presentation
31
Summary of Findings
31
Reflection
32
Acknowledgements
34
References
35
Appendices
37
37
39
40
41
42
Page 3 of 44
Page 4 of 44
WTL FEEDBACK:
We received very valuable feedback from the Writing to Learn assignments. In
WTL #1, our peers advised us to focus more on nutrition related problems that exist in
our target population rather than general population based statistics. This allowed us to
focus our intervention more specifically and think more about how we wanted to help
the children nutritionally. In the WTL #2 assignment, our peer advising group asked us
to be more specific about healthy foods we plan to introduce to our population. With
this advice, we began to think about what information was important to convey to the
children at back up our needs assessment. They also wanted more information about
the specifics of our project which we are still working on developing. Their feedback
helped us talk through things that we may not have thought of and research the target
population and needs a little further.
WTL assignments 4-7 were also very helpful in the completion of assignment #2.
In WTL #4, our group asked us to provide more details regarding the intervention. This
was understandable, seeing as our specific intervention was still in progress. However,
since that assignment, we were able to go back, add more detail, and focus our
answers. In WTL #5, our peers gave us the recommendation to be more specific about
our method of evaluation. Initially, we had indicated that we would survey the children at
the Matthews house, but receiving feedback from our WTL partners, we specified that
the surveys would occur before and after the intervention, through a verbal survey. In
WTL #6, we were advised to add more citations in the assignment. Even though we
Page 5 of 44
made up the recipe/snack idea, we were able to add more citations for the MyPlate
lesson and intervention strategies. Finally, in WTL #7 they mentioned that we did not
include inputs such as time, knowledge, and money. This gave us the opportunity to
rethink our inputs and the different ways that we have contributed to the project.
The writing to learn feedback was again very useful to the completion of this
assignment. We were advised to use more direct language and fix grammatical errors. It
was also recommended that we clarify our outcome and smart goal value to make it
more consistent. Initially, our goal was for 90% engagement, but we were told to reduce
that number to 70-80% to make it more realistic. This turned out to be a very helpful
recommendation, especially as we conducted our intervention. The most recent Writing
to Learn activities preceded our intervention activity, and were very useful as we
finished the planning stage of the process.
Page 6 of 44
The last program is Increasing Skills at The Matthews House Education and
Employment Center, where they offer professional development services for individuals
looking to improve their job opportunities and advance their careers.2
The Matthews House typically serves between 125-150 meals at their Family
Dinner event each month1. They also hold a Thanksgiving event where they served
around 375 meals last year1. Food security is a major issue with many of The Matthews
House participants, and due to the limited access to food, many of the children
participating in the programs have a lack of nutritional education. Many families on food
stamps tend to purchase foods with maximum calories for minimum cost rather than
nutrient density.1
The Homework Helpers program that we are a part of is for children in 3rd
through 8th grade1. At Homework Helpers, the children are given a snack and some
free time, as well as time for homework. When homework has been completed there are
many books for the children to choose from, reading is highly emphasized in the
Homework Helpers program. The goal of the program is to help enrich the education of
children in low-income families who may be struggling with certain aspects of school. 1
Page 7 of 44
Poudre School District.2 On a greater scale, the median household income in Colorado
is $59,448 with about 12% of Colorado residents living in poverty.5 In the US in general,
the median income is $51,939 and 14.8% of the US population lives in poverty.6
From a nutrition perspective, the obesity rates in the United States have
increased dramatically in the last 30 years, whereas they have remained fairly stable in
Colorado and Larimer County. In the United States, more than of children were
overweight or obese in 2012.7 In Colorado, only about 14.6% of children were
overweight or obese in 2012,8 yet about 23% of children in Larimer County were
overweight or obese in 2012.9
Page 8 of 44
families and children living in poverty,2 compared to 17% in the state of Colorado.9
Nationally, the poverty rate for children is much higher at 22%.9
The Matthews House has several strengths that address this problem. They
provide snacks for the children who go to their after school program, Homework
Helpers. The program provides the children with healthy snacks and assistance with
homework and reading. They help enrich their education through learning activities
(ex: sewing) and help them with their school work, which they may not receive at
home. This is a safe place where children can thrive and learn about proper health
and nutrition in a comfortable environment. Educating children at a young age about
how to fuel their bodies to have energy to play and have fun sets children up for
success and optimal health in the future.1
PROJECT PURPOSE
The purpose of our project is to provide nutrition education to the children in the
Homework Helpers program at the Matthews house. Because most of the children in
the Matthews House program are living in poverty,1 our project will help to address the
problem by providing nutrition education and food resources. By giving children the
information and resources to be able to prepare healthy snacks and meals, they can
reduce their risk for obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other health
problems. This can allow children to focus on other issues such as school and social
development. Providing children with nutrition education and food resources, this will
help to meet local, state, and national goals.
Page 9 of 44
Educating children about healthy snacks that they can prepare for themselves
will help foster an environment of healthy eating and encourage young people in the
Fort Collins community to choose healthier foods. Healthy snacking is an important
component of weight management, and developing good habits at a young age sets the
stage for a healthy lifestyle. The state of Colorado made a goal in 2013 to become the
healthiest state.10 The state of Colorado also set a goal to improve nutrition and physical
activity environments, especially for children under the age of 18.11 With our nutrition
education session at the Matthews House, we will help to meet this goal by creating an
environment that empowers children to choose healthy snacks and advocate for healthy
nutrition. Finally, our project helps to meet National goals developed by Healthy People
2020. According to Healthy People 2020, a major national goal is to increase public
awareness and understanding of the determinants of health, disease, disability, and
opportunities for progress.12 Our project will help children to understand nutrition
guidelines and standards, therefore giving them the awareness and understanding of
the role of nutrition in encouraging health and preventing disease , and disability. Our
proposed project will help to meet local, state, and national health goals.
Page 10 of 44
Page 11 of 44
Page 12 of 44
Research Basis
**Complete this table for two selected research studies that support your project design**
Citation
Setting &
Intervention
Evaluation
Describe study
AMA format
Participants
description
strategies
findings relevant to
required;
(include Social
(include how
your project
include a copy
Cognitive Theory SCT constructs
outcomes
of each
constructs)
were
complete article
measured)
with your
electronic
submission.
Lawlor, Debbie
The intervention
The intervention is To evaluate the The intervention in
took
place
called Active for
intervention,
this study improved
A., Laura D.
between 2011
Life Year 5. It is
both a control
childrens fruit and
Howe, Emma L.
and
2013
in
aimed
at
group
and
an
vegetable selfAnderson, Ruth
South West
promoting healthy intervention
efficacy, decreased
R. Kipping, Rona England.
physical activity
group were
child-reported time
Campbell, Sian
Participants were and healthy eating used to
spent in front of a
Wells, Catherine
8-9 years old at
habits to improve
compare the
screen on the
recruitment and
a childs selfdifference and
weekend as well as
R.
baseline
efficacy in making determine the
consumption of
Chittleborough,
measurements,
healthy
behaviors.
interventions
snacks and energy
Tim J. Peters,
and 9-10 during
effect on
drinks.
and Russell
the intervention.
A provision of 16- childrens selfJago. "The Active Over 2,221
lesson plans and
efficacy in
The researchers in
for Life Year 5
children from 60
teaching materials making healthy
this study struggled
(AFLY5) School- schools
including CDs,
lifestyle choices. with the parents of
participated in the pictures, and
children studiedit
based Cluster
intervention.
A
journals
along
A
baseline
is possible to
Randomised
variety of income with 10 parentassessment was change the
Controlled Trial:
levels, as well as
child interaction
taken between
childrens selfEffect on
urban and rural
homework
April and June
efficacy towards
Based on their
results, what
can you expect
from your
project?
Based on their
results, we can
expect that our
project (which
also addresses
self-efficacy)
will be effective
in building the
students
confidence in
their ability to
prepare healthy
snacks.
We can also
plan to try to
overcome a
barrier as we
communicate
our information
to parents.
areas were
included.15
Page 13 of 44
activities were
given. The
lessons increased
the students
behavioral
capability. They
helped the
students gain the
knowledge and
skills to make
healthy decisions
about eating
healthy and
staying active.
This was
evaluated by
assessing the
students
knowledge
through a
knowledge
assessment.
Several of the
lessons were
aimed towards
self-efficacy. One
lesson provided
the children with
the confidence to
replace one
period a week
when they would
and September
and November
of 2012. All
subjects were
assessed by
different
questionnaires
for each subject
being
evaluated.15
fruits and
vegetables, but it is
much more difficult
to change the
parents
purchasing/influence
on the child. We
believe this is
something we will
encounter in our
intervention as
well.15
While it is
beneficial to
improve fruit
and vegetable
self-efficacy in
children, it is
also important
to make sure
that parents are
encouraging it
at home.
Page 14 of 44
normally watch tv
with a fun
alternative with
friends or family.
An increase in
self-efficacy was
determined
through
observation and
pre/post surveys.
Saksvig BI,
Gittelsohn J,
Harris SB,
Hanley AJG,
TWV, Zinman B.
A Pilot SchoolBased Healthy
Eating and
Physical Activity
Intervention
122 students in
3rd, 4th, and 5th
grade in the
Sandy Lake
school district. 16
week
intervention.16
Parents were
given written
information on
how to encourage
their children to
eat healthy and
stay active to
provide and
environment for
the children where
they could get
support.15
Classroom
curriculum
component:
Focuses on
knowledge and
skills development
related to healthy
eating, physical
activity, and
diabetes
To evaluate this
program, a
pre/post test
design was
used. Impact
assessments
were made to
determine the
interventions
effects on
Based on these
findings, we can
expect for our
project to have
a positive
impact on
childrens
cooking
efficacy. This is
because we will
Page 15 of 44
education (relating
to the behavioral
capacity in that
knowledge and
skill are being built
to perform a
specific behavior).
This component
also relates to
self-efficacy
because it leads
to confidence in
performing a
specific behavior
and overcoming
barriers to achieve
it.
Family
component:
Informs parents
family members
about the healthy
eating and
physical activity
messages their
children were
learning in school.
This includes the
environmental
factor of
environment
because they are
psychosocial
and behavioral
measures. This
measures the
behavioral
capacity by
testing whether
or not the
children retained
the information
they had
learned.
Exposure to the
intervention was
significantly and
positively
associated with
a higher score
for dietary selfefficacy. The
students
progress was
assessed on
whether or not
the children had
the ability to
carry their
healthy
eating/healthy
snack
preparation into
their daily lives.
employ
environmental
factors (with
take home
materials for
parents), peer
In addition, the study modeling and
found that dietary
observational
intention and dietary learning through
self-efficacy
peer
changed significantly demonstrations
for all students
and group work,
involved in the
behavioral
study. I think that
capacity
This is also
through cooking
something that we
lessons and
want to see in our
skill building
project because our activities, and
goal is to teach
self efficacy
children to feel
with positive
confident in their
reinforcement
ability to prepare
and
healthy snacks at
encouragement.
home, even without
adult presence.16
Page 16 of 44
factors external to
the individual that
can be an
opportunity for
social support.
Peer component:
The peer
component gives
the opportunity for
peers to act as
role models. This
comes from
observational
learning, in which
the childrens
behavior is
changed by
observing actions
and outcomes of
others behaviors.
Environmental
component: The
environmental
component is the
creation of a
supportive school
environment for
healthful eating.
This also
correlates with the
environmental
The intervention
also had a
parent
questionnaire
which assessed
family
characteristics
and the
influence of
parent/guardian
knowledge,
perceptions, and
behavior before
and after
exposure to the
prevention. This
relates to
observational
learning and
environment
SCT because it
looks at how the
childs
environment
was altered with
the
intervention.16
Page 17 of 44
factor of
environment.16
Learning
Activities
Instructional
Materials
Anchor: We
will anchor the
topic by
applying it to
the childrens
lives, making
it relevant to
them, and
giving them
activities to
make it more
meaningful to
them. This will
be achieved
by engaging
the students
in a
MyPlate
sample
(Appendix 1)
Materials:
colored
pencils/marker
s, Kings
Soopers ads,
paper plates,
scissors, and
glue.
Crafting Your
Own Healthy
Plate lesson
plan in
Evaluation
Strategies for
learning
objectives
To determine if
our learning
objectives are
met, we will
ask the
students a
series of
questions
before and
after the
activity to
assess their
knowledge of
MyPlate, eating
healthy, and
how to apply
the food
Observational
Learning: We
will have our
students work
in groups while
doing the
activity. This
will be peer
modeling and
group problem
solving
sessions to
help children
learn while
working
together.
Page 18 of 44
be eating
foods in
each of
these
categories
every day,
as
recommen
ded by the
2015
Dietary
Guidelines
for
Americans.
They will
also learn
to eat a
variety of
foods will
help them
fuel their
bodies for
fun
activities.
We will have
an interactive
activity to
reinforce the
lesson by
giving each
student a
paper plate
discussion
prior to the
lesson, and
letting them
choose their
favorite
(healthy)
foods for the
MyPlate
activity.
Add: Most of
the
information
we provide
about MyPlate
will be new
information to
the kids we
are working
with. This is
because the
children range
from 2nd
grade to high
school, and
have varying
levels of
exposure. In
addition, prior
conversations
with the
students has
Appendix 2.
groups to their
daily lives.
Questions:
Before the
lesson:
Thumbs up,
thumbs down
or thumbs in
the middle, do
you think you
could identify
the different
food groups in
my plate?
Do you feel
confident in
your ability to
identify healthy
foods that
classify as
fruits,
vegetables,
whole grains,
protein, and
dairy?
After the
lesson: In
addition to
grains and
protein, raise
Page 19 of 44
and having
them cut
photos of
foods out of
grocery store
ads and put
them in the
correct section
of the plate
(middle school
students) and
having them
color foods
that fit into the
categories
(elementary
school
students).
indicated that
they have
limited
knowledge of
MyPlate.
Learning
about
vegetables,
fruits, whole
grains,
protein, and
dairy will be
somewhat
new to them,
and they will
have the
opportunity to
learn how to
apply the
information.
your hand if
you can tell us
what half your
plate should be
composed of?
Apply: The
students will
create a
MyPlate
representation
of what their
plates should
look like-including
fruits,
vegetables,
whole grains,
We will also
observe the
students as
they complete
their activity to
see how they
are
progressing in
their
knowledge.
Raise your
hand if you can
tell me what a
whole grain is?
Thumbs up,
thumbs down,
or thumbs in
the middle if
you think you
can use
MyPlate at
home and
school?
Page 20 of 44
protein, and
dairy in the
correct
proportions.
Away: To
move the
information
into the future,
the students
will get to
keep their
MyPlate
representation
as well as the
handouts we
made. This
will increase
skill retention
by giving
them the tools
to integrate
healthy eating
into the future.
Healthy Snack
Preparation
Social
Cognitive
Theory
Constructs
Observational
learning:
students will
watch us
prepare a
healthy snack
and watch
their peers
preparing
healthy snacks
also. Seeing
their mentors
and peers
preparing and
enjoying
healthy snacks
will make
students more
likely to take
this knowledge
and use it in
their lives.
Behavioral
capability: by
showing the
students
cooking skills
Page 21 of 44
Nutrition or
Activity
Message(s)
Learning
Objectives
Learning
Activities
Instructional
Materials
Our message
for this lesson
is that
preparing and
eating healthy
snacks is easy
to do.
At the end of
the lesson, our
students will
demonstrate
knowledge of
choosing and
preparing a
healthy snack.
This will be
measured by
observation of
the students
as well as a
short postintervention
survey. The
snack will
include fruit,
vegetables,
whole grains,
and protein
with limited
amounts of
added sugars
as consistent
with the
recommendati
ons of the
2015 DGA.
Anchor: To
anchor this
material into
the childrens
lives, we will
make it
relevant to
them by using
foods that are
inexpensive
and easy to
find in their
neighborhood
grocery
stores.
Lesson plans
for educators.
(Appendix 3)
Recipe cards
for the kids to
take home
(English and
Spanish).
(Appendix 4)
We will have
an activity to
reinforce the
lesson by
having the
students
prepare a
healthy snack
and name the
categories of
food that each
component of
the snack falls
into.
Add: The
children will
learn how to
prepare a
healthy snack
from scratch,
which is a skill
that many of
them have not
learned
before. They
will learn how
to prepare a
Paper plates
for preparation,
apples (cut in
half), peanut
butter, baby
carrots,
pretzels,
raisins, butter
knifes.
Evaluation
Strategies for
learning
objectives
We will
measure the
students
confidence and
their ability to
prepare
healthy snacks
through
observation of
how well they
are able to
perform the
tasks given to
them. We will
also be asking
specific
questions to
the students
orally about
their
confidence in
their ability to
prepare
healthy snacks
at home.
Questions:
Before lesson:
Page 22 of 44
snack that is
healthy,
affordable,
and simple.
Apply: The
students will
use their
knowledge of
the myPlate
dietary
recommendati
ons to make a
healthy snack
and determine
which
category of
food each
component of
the snack falls
into. We will
also give
them the skills
and
confidence to
be able to
anchor these
skills into their
daily routine.
Away: At the
completion of
the healthy
Thumbs up,
thumbs down
or thumbs in
the middle, do
you think that
you could
make a healthy
snack at home
based off of
what you just
learned in the
MyPlate
activity?
Whats an
example of a
similar healthy
snack you
could make at
home?
After lesson:
Raise your
hand if you
think you can
make this
snack at home.
Will you make
this snack at
home?
Thumbs up,
Page 23 of 44
snack
preparation
lesson,
participants
will receive a
recipe in both
English and
Spanish. They
will also have
learned the
skills and
abilities to
prepare a
healthy snack
at home.
retention by
giving them
the tools to
prepare a
healthy snack
in the future.
down, or in the
middle.
Whats an
example of a
similar healthy
snack you
could make at
home?
Page 24 of 44
EVALUATION TABLE
Process Evaluation (these are
measures that will tie to the
activities and participants you
outlined in your logic model)
Definition
Specific purpose of
each type of
evaluation for our
project
Outcome evaluation
assesses the effectiveness
of the program in changing
one or more aspects of the
individuals nutritional or
health status.17
1 to 3 4-part
objectives for each
type of evaluation
(action, population,
measure of success,
time frame)
Page 25 of 44
the impact evaluation,
we will be able to see if
our nutrition education
changed the students
behaviors and eating
habits. The impact
evaluation is important
to see if the intervention
had an impact on the
students nutrition
knowledge (specifically
MyPlate and the food
groups) and food
behaviors (specifically
self-confidence and selfefficacy in choosing and
preparing healthy
snacks) after the
intervention ends.17
1. Immediately after the
MyPlate presentation and
activity, 70% of the
Matthews House
participants will respond
with a thumbs up when
asked Thumbs up, thumbs
down, or thumbs in the
middle if you think you can
use MyPlate at home and
school?.
Summary of actual
results OR expected
results from each type
of evaluation method
described above
Observation (proposed
checklist included in appendix
5).
Page 26 of 44
Matthews House will be
able to demonstrate
knowledge of choosing and
preparing a healthy snack
by responding when asked
to raise their hand if they
will make this or a similar
healthy snack at home, and
at least 70% of students will
respond with a raised hand.
Question and answer
session with raised hands
and thumbs up, thumbs
down, or thumbs in the
middle (survey questions
included in appendix 5).
Page 27 of 44
We assessed student
involvement by survey,
where all students
answered every question.
Involvement was measured
by observation. All of the
students participated, which
demonstrated that they
were all interested in the
activity.
Page 28 of 44
LOGIC MODEL
Inputs
Food to make the
snack:
-apples
-peanut butter
-carrots
-grid pretzels
-chocolate
chips/M&Ms
(appendix 4)
Utensils to make
the snack:
-knives
-cutting board
(appendix 4)
Snack recipe
(English and
Spanish)
(appendix 4)
MyPlate Handout
(English and
Spanish)
Appendix 1
Time (preparation
and presentation
time) 1 hour
Outputs
Activities
The students will
create a MyPlate
representation of
what their plates
should look like-including fruits,
vegetables, whole
grains, protein, and
dairy in the correct
proportions and
examples of what
foods belong in
each category.
(lesson plan in
Appendix 2)
The students will
be using their
knowledge of the
MyPlate dietary
recommendations
to make a healthy
snack and
determine which
MyPlate category
component of the
snack falls into.
(recipe in Appendix
4) (lesson plan in
Participation
We hope to reach
the students in the
Homework Helpers
program as well as
their parents. We
will aim for 100%
participation in our
activities, and we
will accomplish this
by pairing middle
school children with
elementary school
children so that
they can help each
other. We will reach
the parents by
sending the kids
home with a
handout (in both
English and
Spanish) to
reinforce what the
students learned in
Homework Helpers.
Impact -- Outcomes
Short
Medium
Long
At the end of the
Following
Assuming this
MyPlate lesson
the lesson,
project continues
(appendix 2), 70%
the children
into the future, we
of students will be
will feel
can expect to see
able to identify the
more
a higher level of
5 groups in
confident in
food preparation
MyPlate, and they
their ability
self-efficacy and
will be able to
to choose
healthier snack
recognize which
and prepare selection in the
foods fit into each
healthy
students at the
section of the
snacks in
Matthews House.
MyPlate design.
the future,
We could also
as measured expect a greater
At the end of the
by survey
understanding of
cooking lesson
questions
the MyPlate
(appendix 3), our
(appendix
model and how it
students will
5).
applies to their
demonstrate
lives. If the
knowledge of
They will be program were to
choosing and
able to apply expand, we would
preparing a healthy their
see a greater
snack. The snack
knowledge
variety of foods
will include fruit,
of MyPlate
being prepared
vegetables, whole
and the 5
(such as
grains, and protein
healthy food breakfast, lunch,
with limited
groups to
dinner, snacks,
amounts of added
their snack
and healthy
sugars as
and meal
desserts).
consistent with the
preparation
Page 29 of 44
recommendations
of the 2015 DGA.
They should
immediately feel
confident in their
ability to prepare
healthy snack
recipe at home and
in the future.
This will be
measured by pre/post-verbal
surveys (appendix
5) of the children to
determine what
information they
retained
at home, as
measured by
survey
questions
(appendix
5).
Healthy eating
habits (such as
consuming more
fruits, vegetables,
and whole
grains), and
adherence to
They will
DGAs will
have the
decrease the risk
skills to
for chronic
prepare a
conditions such
snack that is as type 2
both
diabetes,
nutritious
hypertension,
and
obesity, cancer,
delicious, as and
measured by cardiovascular
survey
disease.
questions
(appendix
5).
Students will
be given a
follow up
survey 6
weeks later
to assess
the
childrens
retention of
the material
covered.
Assumptions
We believe that the program will be very effective
with the children at the Matthews House. Not only
does it give them the opportunity to learn something
new and expand on their previous knowledge of
MyPlate, but it will also include an interactive activity
(snack preparation) that will allow them to practice
the skills. Furthermore, the children will learn basic
food preparation techniques for use in the future.
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External Factors
The Matthews House serves a very low income population.
Therefore, it was crucial that our snack was inexpensive and
accessible. Most of the ingredients in the recipe were also
available at the food bank.
In addition, many of the children have some learning/attention
barriers that will require one-on-one attention. We paired the
elementary children with a middle schooler so that they had
additional help if needed.
All of the children we worked with in our intervention had been in
school all day. Therefore, we faced some issues in terms of their
ability to concentrate on the lesson provided. With the help of the
program coordinator, we were able to overcome these barriers.
We also provided the parents with information packets, to
increase family support and reinforcement at home.
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PRESENTATION
The presentation will consist of several aspects to summarize our intervention
project. We will begin with an overview of the Matthews House, including the mission,
location, and target population. We will briefly explain the Homework Helpers Program,
where we spent the majority of our service learning hours. The presentation will then be
split between our team and team 1.
For the remainder of our presentation, we will describe our nutrition intervention
project. We will discuss the audience, setting, goals, learning activities and strategies,
materials, evaluation plan, lessons learned, and recommendations for improving the
project. Throughout the presentation, we will incorporate pictures from the nutrition
intervention. We will conclude the presentation with an acknowledgement of our
community partner.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Our projects main focus was to teach the students in the Homework Helpers
program at the Matthews House about the 5 categories of MyPlate, as well as how to
make a healthy snack incorporating the different categories of MyPlate. We did this by
giving a presentation about the 5 food groups and letting the students apply the
information by making their own MyPlate. To do this, the students used paper plates
and grocery store ads to cut and paste different foods that belonged in each category of
the plate. We then assisted the children in making apple boats which incorporated 4 of
the 5 food groups. Our goal was to increase the childrens knowledge of healthy eating
and the importance of a balanced diet as well as increase their confidence in their ability
to incorporate this information into their lives. By teaching the students these valuable
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lessons about healthy eating, we have provided them with the knowledge to prevent
chronic conditions in the future, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and more. We
assessed program effectiveness through a pre/post survey and observations. After our
intervention, we found that we were successful in increasing the number of students
who could identify the 5 categories of MyPlate as well as the number of students who
felt confident in their ability to make healthy snacks.
REFLECTION
1. Our group learned a lot from this experience. One aspect that really surprised us
was that a lot of the children havent had interaction with fruits and vegetables. This
taught us to tailor our intervention to fit the population that we were working with,
which in this case meant that we needed to focus on the basics of MyPlate. We
also learned a lot about making lesson plans from scratch as our idea was
something that hadnt been done before and there was no template that we could
use.
2. The Matthews House would definitely be able to apply the information and activities
we developed for our project. Since a lack of fruits and vegetable consumption is
something that many of the families who participate in the Matthews House
program experience, our MyPlate materials and activity could not only be used for
kids at Homeworker Helpers in the future, but also be used to educate parents in
the Matthews Houses other programs on the importance of eating a balanced diet.
School districts may be able to use our MyPlate activity as well. Even if the children
are more familiar with fruits and vegetables than some of the children at Homework
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Helpers, the activity gives children a chance to practice identifying foods in all 5
food groups and encourages eating a balanced diet, which is important for all
children to know.
3. One of the limitations of our project was that we had a time restriction. We only had
one day to do our intervention and if we had been able to do a few more lessons,
we think that the information would probably stick with the children a little better
than our one-time lesson. Another limitation of our intervention is that we only had
interaction with the kids, but not their parents. Even though we sent all of the kids
home with information on MyPlate and our apple boat snack in both English and
Spanish, the parents are still in control of grocery shopping. The children may have
the knowledge about healthy eating and want to apply it, but if the parents arent
buying healthy foods, the children dont have access to it.
4. If we were to repeat our project one thing we would change is that we would do the
intervention over a longer period of time to allow the information to stick with the
kids better. We would also want to do more family education rather than just
education for the kids. As stated above, the parents are in charge of purchasing
food and in order for the children to make healthy choices, they need to have
access to healthy food. We would also like to incorporate a section on the
importance of getting physical activity. This could be a separate lesson or
something that we incorporate into the MyPlate activity.
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balanced diet which is information they will be able to take and apply throughout
their lives and teach to their peers, as well as their families and their children one
day.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thank you to the Staff and Students at the Matthews House. To Lise
Harwell, the education coordinator, for being a continuous source of information and
inspiration during this project. To Kealey Greene, the Homework Helpers coordinator at
the Genesis Project, for graciously allowing us to complete our service learning hours in
the Homework Helpers program, for giving us the time and resources to complete our
nutrition intervention project, and for providing us with helpful information to complete
the project.
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REFERENCES
1. Harwell L. The Matthews House Orientation. August 2016.
2. Overview - The Matthews House. The Matthews House.
http://thematthewshouse.org/overview/. Published 2015. Accessed September
19, 2016.
3. Census Explorer. Census Explorer.
http://www.census.gov/censusexplorer/censusexplorer.html. Accessed August
28, 2016.
4. CHAPS Phase VII: Tools and resources. Home.
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe-lpha/chaps-vii-locally-developed-toolsand-resources. Published June 2012. Accessed August 28, 2016.
5. Poverty Status in 2014. American Community Survey 1-Year Profiles.
http://www.census.gov/search-results.html?page=1. Published 2014. Accessed
August 29, 2016.
6. Population estimates, July 1, 2015, (V2015). UNITED STATES QuickFacts from
the US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/pst045215/00.
Accessed August 29, 2016.
7. Childhood Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm. Published 2015. Accessed
September 19, 2016.
8. Child Obesity in Colorado: A Growing Problem. Colorado Children's Campaign.
http://www.coloradokids.org/. Published July 1, 2007. Accessed September 19,
2016.
9. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Larimer County Trend
Analysis, 2015. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; 2016.
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/lph_mch_trend-analysis-2015larimer.pdf. Accessed September 19, 2016.
10. Colorado's Commitment to Become the Healthiest State. The State of Health.
https://www.cohealthinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/the-state-of-healthsummary-april-2013.pdf. Published April 2013. Accessed August 28, 2016
11. Healthy Colorado Shaping a State of Health. Colorado Department of Public
Health and Environment
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/opp_2015-co-state-plan.pdf.
Accessed August 28, 2016.
12. About Healthy People. Healthy People 2020.
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about-healthy-people. Accessed August 29,
2016.
13. Lee, Jounghee, Soyeon Jeong, Gyeongah Ko, Hyunshin Park, and Youngsook
Ko. "Development of a Food Safety and Nutrition Education Program for
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: MY PLATE HANDOUTS
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Thumbs Down
Do you feel confident in your ability to identify healthy foods that are fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, protein, and dairy?
Thumbs Up
Thumbs Down
MyPlate Activity
Post-survey questions:
In addition to protein and grains, raise your hand if you can tell us what half your plate
should be composed of?
Hands Up
Hands Down
Raise your hand if you can tell me what a whole grain is?
Hands Up
Hands Down
Thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs in the middle if you think you can use MyPlate at
home and school?
Thumbs Up
Thumbs Down
Snack Preparation
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Pre-survey questions:
Thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle, do you think that you could make a
healthy snack at home based off of what you just learned in the MyPlate activity?
Thumbs Up
Thumbs Down
Post-survey questions:
Thumbs up/thumbs down/thumbs in the middle if you think you can make this snack at
home.
Thumbs Up
Thumbs Down
Raise your hand if you will make this snack or another healthy snack at home?
Hands Up
9
Hands Down
0
Thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle, do you think you could identify
the different food groups in MyPlate?
Thumbs Up
Thumbs Down
Raise your hand if you have made the apple boat snack or a similar healthy snack at
home?
Hands Up
Hands Down
Thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle, do you think you could identify
the different food groups in MyPlate?
Thumbs Up
Thumbs Down
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Raise your hand if you have made the apple boat snack or a similar healthy snack at
home?
Hands Up
Hands Down