community nutrition final project

The Parent’s Food School

Assignment 3 Happy Heart Farm: The Food School

Our project aims to educate parents in the community of the

importance of The Food School being a part of their children’s education. The goal of the project is to raise awareness and support for the Food

School in order to expand the program to beneficially impact children and family lifestyle.

Carrie Nickel, Kara Lechtenberg and Mia Matthews

FSHN 451: Community Nutrition

November 20, 2015

Honor Pledge: I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance on this assignment.

Signature: ______________________________________ Signature: ______________________________________ Signature: ______________________________________

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Team & Work Distribution

Team Members, Team Leader Work Distribution/Plan to Accomplish Team Project

Community Partner

Context: Target Audience & Community Description

Problem Statement, Project Purpose & Brief Description Problem Statement

Project Purpose

Description of Proposed Project

Behavior Change Theory & Research Basis Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) Definition

SCT Constructs Selected for This Project & Rationale

Research Basis

Lesson Plan Table Evaluation Table

Logic Model

Presentation

Summary of Findings Reflection

Acknowledgments

References

Appendices Appendix 1: Newsletter

Appendix 2: Lesson 1: Composting- completing the Cycle

Appendix 3: Pre survey

Appendix 4: Post Survey


TEAM & WORK DISTRIBUTION

TEAM MEMBERS, TEAM LEADER

1. Carrie Nickel- Team Leader 2. Mia Matthews

3. Kara Lechtenberg

WORK DISTRIBUTION/PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH TEAM PROJECT

Mia was responsible for editing the Lesson Plan from project 2. For project 3 she

was responsible for the Summary of Findings, Reflection and Acknowledgements

sections. Carrie edited the Logic Model from project 2 and completed the table for

project 3. She also collaborated with Kara and reviewed the Evaluation Table, the Logic

Model and edited the Summary of Findings and Reflection. Kara was in charge of the

logic model and edited the Summary of Findings and Reflection. Kara was in charge of

the overall editing of project 2, as well as reviewing Carrie and Mia’s content. Kara also

further developed the post survey and added the pre and post survey to the

appendices. Kara edited and completed the Evaluation Table. Carrie and Kara

collaborated to edit the final document and ensure the content was completed.

COMMUNITY PARTNER

Our community partner, Happy Heart Farm, is based on the idea of being a

“community supporting agriculture”.1 It practices Biodynamic Farming, which aims to be

self-sufficient in compost, manures and animal feeds.1 The farm is centered on the

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 deeply personal relationship between farmer and farm. It is involved as the overarching

non-profit organization for a few events and programs in Fort Collins. One of these is

the Food School which is the program our project is centered around.1 They have a

simple mission, which is to “connect children to the sources of their food and the

community members who grow it” (Jennifer Todd, September 24, 2015). It is a new

program developed by its founder’s, Jennifer Todd and Julie Reed, follows an

experiential curriculum for grades K-5. The Food School curriculum involves engaging,

educating, and empowering students to work hands on in the school garden. This

paired with lessons based on PSD education requirements for science and wellness

helps students discover where their food comes from, why it matters, and how their food

choices can affect their health, environment, and community.2 The new program is

currently only implemented at Olander Elementary School which is a part of the Poudre

School District (PSD) in Fort Collins (Jennifer Todd, September 24, 2015). Jennifer

Todd and Julie Reed hope that PSD will support the Food School after its experiential

implementation in Olander and will be a curriculum taught in all the schools within PSD.

CONTEXT: TARGET AUDIENCE & COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC), child obesity rates have more than doubled in children and quadrupled in

adolescents in the last 30 years.3 Currently the national obesity rate for children ages

12-19 is 21%3 compared to Colorado which has an obesity rate for children ages 10-17

of 10.9%4. Although Colorado has a lower rate than the national level, it is still a high

rate considering over 1 in every 10 children ages 10-17 in our state is obese.4 If the

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 problem of increasing obesity rates in Colorado and in the United States is not

addressed children are more susceptible to obesity related diseases later in life. Those

who are obese at a younger age are also more likely to be obese as adults; therefore,

these health concerns become long term illnesses. For example, heart disease, type 2

diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer and osteoarthritis are all health problems

associated with obesity which can ultimately lead to death if not addressed properly.3

Children need to be taught about the importance of a healthy lifestyle in schools

to help them create a healthy sustainable lifestyle to prevent obesity. The Happy Heart

Farms program, the Food School, aims to give children this education. Through its

curriculum, it provides students with guidelines to live a healthier lifestyle. The program

encourages the kids to get personally involved in growing their own fruits and

vegetables via interactive lessons in their school garden. The Food School’s target

audience is children (K-5), parents and the community in Larimer County. It is essential

the Food School reaches out to all three groups of people because each person’s

support is important in making the program functional in schools.

The community is responding well to the Food School’s mission because in the

last decade there has been an increased interest in wellness. In addition there is

increased interest in the importance of locally grown, natural food which is indicated by

the increased number of local gardens and farms.5 This is evidence by the fact that Fort

Collins has 29 CSAs, most of these farms sell most of their crops to CSA members and

distribute to retail stores.6 At this point, all 50 states have Farm to School programs

however only 35 states have made mandatory programs.4 Unfortunately, these

programs only cover select students and schools across America due to lack of

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 availability of resources and funding. Many schools in Colorado have Farm to School

programs, especially Weld County District 6 and Colorado Springs district 11.7 These

two districts have had very positive outcomes with their programs, serving many

students local, and natural food. In research reported on the stateofObesty.org, it

indicates that “farm-to-school programs have shown results in improving students'

nutritional intake. For example, a study by researchers at the University of California,

Davis found that farm-to-school programs not only increase consumption of fruits and

vegetables, but actually change eating habits, leading students to choose healthier

options at lunch”.4 Many schools in Colorado have gardens which are a great resource

to utilize to implement nutrition programs. Unfortunately there are not many Food

Schools to help make this happen. The Food School in Larimer County is trying to

bridge this gap however funding is lacking. It takes approximately $10,000 per school to

run a Food School program and Poudre School District schools only have a budget of

$500 to focus on health and wellness (Jennifer Todd, 9/24/2015). An increased

awareness of the importance and need for this program would impact the amount of

funding PSD would attribute to the Food School’s impactful wellness education

program.

PROBLEM STATEMENT, PROJECT PURPOSE & BRIEF DESCRIPTION

PROBLEM STATEMENT Colorado was once praised for being the healthiest state in the United States

because it was one of the few states with an obesity rate below 20%.4 Unfortunately this

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 is no longer the case; in the last decade the obesity rate in Colorado has substantially

grown which is especially concerning among children. In the span of 2003 to 2007,

Colorado’s childhood obesity national ranking drastically dropped from the third leanest

to twenty third.8 Now 23% of Colorado children ages 2-14 are overweight and obese,8

which puts these children at a higher risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma and

other obesity related diseases.4 The childhood obesity rates in Colorado are less severe

than those nationally; but are increasing steadily similar to the obesity problem

nationwide. The appearance of obesity among children nationwide jumped from 5% to

17% in only 30 years.8 Larimer County has not released childhood obesity rates among

elementary aged children; however, the 3.5% rise in obesity rates within 6 years among

adults indicates the trend is similar in children within the community.9 The childhood

obesity problem is becoming more severe which is also increasing the prevalence of

diseases associated with obesity that will stress the health care system and decrease

life expectancy. The issue requires action locally and nationally. These growing obesity

rates among children can be correlated to a lack of nutrition and wellness education in

the Colorado school systems. Poudre School District, in Larimer County, puts an

emphasis on promoting student, staff and community wellness. However, this is a rarity

among school districts in Colorado and the United States where student health is not a

stressed aspect of the education requirements. The minimal amount of importance

placed on wellness education in K-5 curriculum may be a cause of higher risk of obesity

and diseases related to obesity. Poudre school district can act as a model to

demonstrate with an implementation of a wellness education program, such as the Food

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 School, and a focus on promoting children’s health it is possible to prevent rising obesity

rates and improve children’s overall health.

PROJECT PURPOSE At this point, dietary requirements for school meals have been improving since

2010, when President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.10 However,

there is an insufficient amount of education associated with teaching healthy behavior. It

is vital that public schools begin to implement new programs to educate children on the

importance of a healthy lifestyle. Happy Heart Farms has developed a Food School

which utilizes a hands-on farm focused curriculum to teach children the importance of

knowing where food comes from and what food is best to promote health. The program

impacts children’s eating behaviors by teaching students the difference between natural

and processed food. One goal of the Food School is to teach children a healthy lifestyle

in which they can continue to follow throughout their life. If this goal of the program is

achieved it has the potential to decrease the childhood obesity rates in the community.

In addition, the program curriculum can be implemented in more schools within

Colorado to expand the Food School’s impact on children’s lifestyle choices. In order to

make these impacts, the program needs more awareness to widen its scope and

impact. The overall goal of our group is to implement a program to educate parents

about the importance of incorporating a wellness program in elementary education. Our

hope is that the more parents and other schools learn about the beneficial Food School

program, the more they will desire and demand to have wellness education be a part of

their children’s education. If the Food School was incorporated into the curriculum at

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 every school in PSD it may greatly impact children’s and family’s lifestyle towards

healthier habits which in turn may improve the overall health of the community.

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT

The project we will be working on for the Food School will focus on educating

parents of the importance of the wellness program. We will develop content to inform

parents about the Food School. For this project we will focus primarily on educating

third grade parents at Olander about the Food School and the specific lesson topic

discussed in their children’s classroom. In addition, we will include ideas for how

parents can reinforce these lessons at home; these will serve as calls to action to the

parent to practice a healthier lifestyle for their children. Due to the fact that the Food

School lessons are over for the season, we will only be sending out one newsletter both

electronically and in third grade students Friday folders. The newsletter will include an

overview of all the lessons the third graders learned this fall: what composting is, how it

affects our food via the soil and what is compostable and not compostable. We will

relate these Food School lessons to ways parents can enhance the lesson at home and

increase child and family intake of fruits and vegetable. This project will test the parent’s

acceptance and effectiveness of incorporating home learning. We hope as parents learn

more about the Food School through this newsletter, it will increase support and

awareness of the program which would ideally help expand the program to other

schools and become more sustainable. Jennifer Todd’s vision for the Food School is to

have the program and a garden incorporated in every school in PSD and the lessons to

be taught by the teachers with her support as an overseer. This project is designed to

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 help work towards this goal and expand the Food School’s beneficial impact on the

community.


BEHAVIOR CHANGE THEORY & RESEARCH BASIS

SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY (SCT) DEFINITION

Social cognitive theory (SCT) is a physiological model of behavior which is used to

understand how behavioral learning and change occurs. . A key concept in SCT is

reciprocal determinism, which describes the interaction of the person, the behavior, and

the environment in which the behavior is performed. The dynamic interactions between

these factors reveal that learning occurs in a social context and is gained through

observation. SCT is composed of several constructs that each contribute to a person’s

behavior. These constructs include: environment, self regulation, behavioral capability,

expectations, self efficacy, observational learning and reinforcement. All of these

components used to assess behavior change in SCT have corresponding intervention

strategies to promote it overall. SCT aims to determine the primary components to

assess that will be utilized to determine the appropriate behavior intervention to

implement behavior change.11

SCT CONSTRUCTS SELECTED FOR THIS PROJECT & RATIONALE

The SCT constructs the parent education program aims to target include behavioral

capability and self-efficacy. The behavioral capacity construct involves providing tools,

resources or environmental changes to enable a new behavior to be easily performed.11

Our project will offer parents a newsletter with information about the Food School, a

specific lesson and how they can effortlessly further their child’s nutrition education

outside of the classroom. The self-efficacy construct focuses on increasing an

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 individual’s confidence or belief that they have the ability to perform a given behavior.11

Our project will provide parents with the resources needed to properly facilitate behavior

change, confidently and effectively, in themselves and their children. The resource we

will supply the parents is a newsletter that will break down behavior change into small,

measurable steps through “calls-to-action” that the parents can simply understand and

utilize.

RESEARCH BASIS **Complete this table for two selected research studies that support your project design**

Citation AMA format required; include a copy of each

complete article with your electronic submission.

Setting & Participants

Intervention description (include Social Cognitive

Theory constructs)

Evaluation strategies (include

how SCT constructs were

measured)

Describe study findings relevant to your project

outcomes

Based on their results, what can you expect from

your project?

Perry C, Bishop D, Taylor G et al. Changing fruit and vegetable consumption among children: the 5-a-Day Power Plus program in St. Paul, Minnesota. Am J Public Health. 1998;88(4):603-609. doi:10.2105/ajph.88.4.603.12

The study consisted of a randomized school-based trial conducted in 20 elementary schools in St. Paul. The study aimed to targeted a multiethnic group of 4th and 5th grade children and their parents.

The 5-a-Day multi component school based intervention program was guided by social cognitive (learning) theory and prior research on changing children’s dietary behavior. The intervention consisted of behavioral curricula in classrooms, parental involvement/education, school food service changes, and industry support and involvement. The curricula included sixteen 40 to 45 minute classroom sessions implemented twice a week for 8 weeks. The parental involvement program consisted of 5 information/activity packets and 4 snack packs that students brought home. Constructs utilized: Behavior Capability: The curriculum implemented

Random students were chosen for school lunchroom observations and 24 hour diet recalls which measured food consumption and evaluated intervention effectiveness of curriculum on increasing student’s consumption of fruits and vegetables. (Behavior Capability, Environmental and Observational Learning) Parent telephone surveys were used to assess parental involvement and effectiveness of intervention on increasing parental involvement and influencing

Study found that the intervention increased fruit and vegetable consumption overall in students and that a multi component school-based program like this can increase likelihood of healthy food (fruits & vegetables) consumption among children. The study also found that parental knowledge, involvement, and active participation in the program at home improved children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.

This study shows that a program like The Food School and the active involvement of parents in the program (through our project) will increase the likelihood that the students at Olander will consume healthier foods (fruits and vegetables).


skill-building, problem solving activities, snack preparation, and taste testing; 4th grade parents and students participated in activities provided in packets. Observational Learning: The curriculum introduced new role models in the form of comic books and adventure stories; parent involvement in activities at home also served as positive role models. Reinforcement: The students were rewarded with small prizes on individual and team basis depending on fruit and vegetable consumption. Also, students were entered into drawing if they completed activities at home. Self-efficacy: The parents were provided with necessary information in packets which causes them to feel more confident with the information. Environment: There was an emphasis for parental involvement in increasing fruit and vegetable consumption; fruits & vegetables made to look more appealing at school lunches Self-regulation: The parents and children were regulated by being encouraged to participate in home activities and being asked to report back about it.

children’s food choices. (Self efficacy and Observational Learning) Health Behavior Questionnaires were administered to students at baseline and follow-up to the program. (Behavioral Capability) Mixed-model regression procedures were used in analyzing data on students food consumption over time (Reinforcement).

Martin-Biggers J, Spaccarotella K, Delaney C, Koeings M, Alleman G, Hongu N, Worobey J, and Byrd-Bredbenner C. Development of the Intervention Materials for the HomeStyles Obesity

The study took place in Arizona and New Jersey. The target population for the study consisted of parents with preschool aged children. The study

Researchers developed “HomeStyles intervention” instructional materials which were comprised of 12 brief guides. Each guide focused on strategies parents could use to shape

Environmental Factor: The parents were given 12 instructional guides to use as guidelines and reference in the home. The parents

The study found that parents and home visitors found these guides to be informative and helpful. This was seen through the parent survey where they received above a 4.5 out of 5 for likelihood of

The findings of this research study show that parents who received these home resources that educated them on health resulted in them creating a


Prevention Program for Parents of Preschool. Nutrients. 2015 Aug; 7 (8): 6628-6669 doi:10.3390/nu7085301.13

consisted of in home intervention. A total of 39 Home Visitors and 92 English-speaking and 120 Spanish-speaking parents participated in the Content Cognitive Testing which reviewed the written content provided in the guides. For the Design Cognitive Testing which evaluated the design of the design of the guides, 120 English-speaking and 121 Spanish-speaking parents as well as 20 home visitation staff members participated.

one aspect of the home environment and lifestyle. Many of these guides pertained to nutrition, physical activity and knowledge on how children mirror parent’s behavior. Constructs Utilized: Environmental Factors: The parents were provided with the Homestyle guides as a resource to utilize at home which improved the resources they had in the home environment. Behavioral Capacity: The parents were given the knowledge, tips and ways to perform these new behaviors via the Homestyle guides.

were asked to take a survey to measure how useful these guides were and assess parental comprehension of the guide topics. On the surveys parents indicated that the guides were “very useful,” “informative,” and “logical.” Behavior Capability: Parents were given support by families collaborating and sharing ideas about how to perform a behavior. The Homestyle guide provided the knowledge and information which was enhanced with families sharing skills. For example peers of the parents stated: “Here’s how families who use positive feeding practices say they do it…” In feedback, “Parents appreciated the inclusion of tips and ideas from other parents who had successfully adopted healthy behaviors.”

Improving practices, clarity, relevancy reading level, interest level and usefulness. The guides emphasized factors that parents could easily change and were low cost to the home environment. This helped parents feel as though they could make changes to improve the home environment. The study linked these changes with creating and maintaining a healthier lifestyle for children and the whole family.

healthier home environment. Parents utilized these guides in their home because they felt these guides were relevant, applicable, useful and practical. Therefore, by providing the parents at Olander with a home resource (newsletter) we may see changes in their lifestyle that may improve their children’s and family’s health.


LESSON PLAN TABLE Specific 2010 Dietary or 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans emphasized: Increase vegetable and fruit intake. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark- green and red and orange vegetables and beans and peas. **Complete this table for each lesson developed**

Lesson Title Social Cognitive Theory Constructs

Nutrition or Activity Message(s)

Learning Objectives Learning Activities Instructional Materials Evaluation Strategies for learning objectives

The lesson developed for third grade parents is aimed at teaching them about the Food School, composting, and why composting and eating fresh vegetables and fruits is essential.

Behavioral capacity- This SCT construct will be integrated into the lesson through the newsletter. The newsletter will be a beneficial material that will communicate the lesson message and main objective to parents. The newsletter will provide parents with the necessary information they will need to assist in facilitating behavior change in the home environment. The construct will be evaluated in the survey by asking parents if the information provided in the newsletter was informative, if they would reference it at a later time and whether or not they have any ideas or suggestions that could improve it. Self Efficacy- This SCT construct will be incorporated into the lesson to empower parents and provide them with the confidence to make an impact on their child’s behavior and enhance their education. This will be done in the newsletter by explaining to parents the purpose of the newsletter: to assist them with

1. Focus centered around eating more fruits and vegetables and incorporating them as staples in the parents and their child’s diet. 2. Encourage the parents to inform their children of the importance of consuming vegetables that are grown naturally, such as in The Food School garden, as well as influencing them to do so.

After reading the Food School newsletter that is contains nutritional and gardening information for third grade parents, 80% of participants will demonstrate appropriate knowledge of information provided in the newsletter and feel confident in their abilities to influence and shape their children’s behavior. Parents will influence their children of the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables and a variety of natural, organically grown fruits and vegetables. This will be measured by an online survey.

Anchor: The anchor is discussing the parent’s desire to be a part of their child’s education and being an impact on the community. Add: We will introduce new information about composting and how it connects to the importance of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Apply: This construct consists of asking the learner to apply their knowledge. Unfortunately with the timing of the Food School lessons it was not possible to observe the parent’s application of their knowledge. We will ask parents to apply or actively think about how to apply changes by stating in the newsletter, “As you read this newsletter, think about things you can discuss and teach your children to reinforce the lessons of the Food School and encourage eating more fruits and vegetables” Away- Parents should take away the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and how to incorporate them into their children’s

1. We are currently in the process of developing a newsletter which will serve as both the lesson and instructional material for the third grade parents. Unfortunately our newsletter is not complete because obtaining lesson plans from the Food School to use as reference took longer than expected. A rough outline of the Food School Newsletter can be found in appendix 1. 2. We utilized three of the lesson plans which Jennifer Todd has taught the third grade students this fall. Each lesson plan had the same background information about composting which was the main material we used to write a summary of what the children learned and to write “calls to action” for the parents. One lesson plan with all the essential background information utilized can be seen in appendix 2.

The learning objectives will be assessed by conducting an online survey. A link to the survey will be embedded into the online newsletter sent out. The survey will have 5-10 questions asking the parents their acceptance of the Food School, their understanding of the lesson and their willingness to apply the knowledge.


successfully facilitating behavior change and encouraging their children to eat healthier. In addition, self efficacy will be included by giving the parents manageable and simple ways to reinforce the lessons children learned at the Food School. This construct will be evaluated in the survey by asking parents how confident they feel with the new information and in reinforcing these lessons with their children.

diet. In addition, parents should take away how to encourage their children to eat these healthier food options. These take away concepts will be evaluated in an online survey.

EVALUATION TABLE

Process Evaluation (these are measures that will tie to the activities and participants you outlined in your logic model)

Impact Evaluation (these tie to the learning objectives, behavioral intent, skill demonstrations, etc., listed in your lesson plan table and short term outcomes in your logic model)

Outcome Evaluation (these tie to the medium term outcomes listed in your logic model).

Definition (include reference)

A process evaluation monitors the progress of a program. It provides an analysis of the effectiveness of an implementation program. Typically data collection mechanisms are used to determine if the program is being effective or not. The process evaluation is an important tool to utilize because it ensures the program is achieving its goals to correct the determined problem. It enables evaluators to assess the quality of implementation which is vital information when trying to maximize the programs benefits. In some cases, process evaluations also explain why certain results were achieved.14

The impact evaluation shows the effect of an intervention program on the biological outcomes that were defined as the objectives of the program. In this context, impact is defined as the difference of outcome measures that are a result of the intervention. An impact evaluation measures how effective the implementation was in changing the target populations attitude, awareness and behavior. An impact evaluation can determine whether or not to continue the program, expand or reduce the size, or to implement it elsewhere. The impact

The outcome evaluation purpose is to determine the feasibility and overall effectiveness of the nutrition related intervention. It compares data before and after the program was implemented to determine if the program was effective at reaching the desired outcome. This will determine if the implementation program is effective and feasible to continue. However the evaluation only measures changes and does not aim to determine a cause and effect relationship between the intervention and outcome. An outcome evaluation is an important measure to show whether or not the program that was implemented was effective in making the desired change in


evaluation is an important measure to show if the program is reaching its desired and determined biological behavioral outcomes.15

the population.16

Specific purpose of each type of evaluation for our project

The process evaluation for the parent Food School implementation program will show the effectiveness of the program based on how many parents read the newsletter and complete the survey. The survey will show us if the parent feel confident in utilizing the information in the newsletter to achieve the desired outcome of the program.

Our impact evaluation will show whether or not the parent Food School is a beneficial implementation to continue concurrently with the Food School. Specifically, it will indicate how impactful the newsletter was in getting parents to utilize the information and influence their children’s food choices.

The outcome evaluation will show if the Food School newsletter was effective in making the desired change of increasing fruit and vegetable intake among parents and third grade children. It will measure if parents and children are eating more fruits and vegetables due to influence from the parent Food School newsletter.

1 to 3 4-part objectives for each type of evaluation (action, population, measure of success, time frame)

We will ask parents to fill out a survey after reading the newsletter, the survey asks five questions to determine if the parents will utilize the information.

We will ask parents to fill out a survey after reading the newsletter; the survey asks two questions about parent’s feelings towards impacting children’s eating behaviors.

50% of parents will increase their and their child’s fruit and vegetable consumption per day by one serving.

Method/s used to measure each objective for each type of evaluation

5 questions in pre survey and post survey (questions included in appendix 3 and 4)

2 questions in pre survey and post survey (questions included in appendix 3 and 4)

Pre survey and post survey with questions regarding amount of vegetables and fruit intake (number of servings)

Summary of actual results OR expected results from each type of evaluation method described above

(theoretical) Results from the pre survey will show 50% of parents indicating that they will utilize the calls to actions at home. Results from the post survey will show 35% of parents actually executed utilizing the calls to action at home.

(theoretical) Results from the pre survey will show 50% of parents feel confident empowering change in their child’s eating behaviors. Post survey will show 60% of parents feeling confident at implementing behavior change in their children. The percentage will increase because after parents attempt the “calls to action” at home they will feel more comfortable with the information.

(theoretical) Results from the pre survey will show most parents and children eat only 1-2 servings per day. Results from the post survey will show more parents and children are eating more than 1-2 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. 50% of parents will increase their and their child’s fruit and vegetable intake by one serving per day.


LOGIC MODEL Inputs Outputs Impact -- Outcomes

Activities Participation Short Medium Long What was invested by you & others? Time- We will invest time developing content for the newsletter and a recipe for intervention. In addition it took time to develop a research base about the context of the project and the constructs of the SCT which show a benefit of in home activities to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. Materials- We relied heavily on technology for the project. The newsletter and the survey will be sent out electronically. However, we will use paper to send home a hard copy of the newsletter with the third graders.

What did you do? 1.Compose a newsletter 2.Develop a relevant recipe for the newsletter 3.Create calls to action for the parents to do with their children at home 4.Assessment of the project effectiveness via an online survey and paper survey 5.Partner with The Food School

Who did you reach? We reached the parents of the 3rd grade classes at Olander Elementary School.

What did they learn? What were their

immediate changes? After reading the Food School newsletter that is accompanied with nutritional and gardening messages, we hope the parents will learn the importance of eating more and a variety of fruits and vegetables as measured by an online survey. It will be challenging to asses immediate changes because they are changes that will be implemented at home. In the survey questions include knowledge assessment as well as behavior change assessment measured by asking parents their attitude toward the Food School, if they found the information useful and if they will implement the “calls to action”.

(Refer to appendix 3 and 4 to view survey)

(Impact Evaluation)

What actions (behaviors) are they

now doing? Pre and post surveys will be given to parents in order to show the overall increase of fruit and vegetable consumption. With the post survey we will be able to gather whether or not the parents have implemented a change in their household. This will be represented by the answers to questions about implementing the “calls to action” at home and by comparing the fruit and vegetable consumption from before the intervention and after. We will see change via parents implementing lessons at home which will result in an increase in fruits and vegetables as indicated on the survey.

(Refer to appendix 3

andd 4to view survey)

(Outcome Evaluation)

How will health conditions improve? Assuming we were able to continue our intervention with the Food School, we would continue to send out newsletters connecting the lessons and health concepts taught by the Food School to inform parents on multiple ways to actively create a healthy lifestyle at home. Additionally, we hope that among realizing the important impact the Food School is having on their children, parents will demand nutrition education for their children. This would include expanding the Food School to other schools in the PSD. Our hope would be to see that 50% of households were taking initiative to shift their lifestyle to frequently including fruits and vegetables as part of their daily diet.

(Outcome Evaluation)


Assumptions

External Factors The assumptions we have about the parent Food School project include that parents will be receptive to our resource material (i.e. the newsletter) and take action incorporate it into their life. The parents are involved in making this happen, we are involved in providing the material to the parents and Jennifer Todd and Julie Reed are involved in running the Food School and providing the education to the children about garden practices and where their food comes from. We think the project will work because by sending out materials complimenting the lessons provided at the Food School it allows the parents to be informed what their child is learning and get involved. Additionally, we are providing them with a resource to learn the concepts and give them the opportunity to practice these concepts at home with the end goal that they will be increasing their fruit and vegetable intake along with their children.

Our project exists in the home of the parents who have children in the Food School at Olander. We provide the materials and information needed to help the parents gain knowledge and take action in changing their lifestyle. Limitations will include the effectiveness of the parent at receiving the newsletter from their child (in Friday folder) or their likelihood to read their emails. In addition, financials at home may be a limitation for certain families to participate in the calls to action we provide them.


PRESENTATION

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Our predicted findings to the implementation of The Parent Food School newsletter are that parent’s active involvement will result in positively influencing their children’s eating behaviors and increasing their consumption of fruits and vegetables. With support and assistance from the parents, we predict that the children’s education received from the Food School will be further reinforced and engrained in the home environment. This in turn will increase effectiveness and efficiency in accomplishing actual behavior modification in the students and increase the likelihood of accomplishing the overarching goal of The Food School. We administered a newsletter, which contained the information needed for parents to feel confident in their abilities to be positive role models for effective behavior change in their children. To measure the effectiveness of this intervention, parents were asked to complete an online survey in which we predicted that approximately 50% of parents would increase the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed by themselves and their children. Results from the pre and post survey will show an increase in parent’s self efficacy to 60%. More parents will feel confident in implementing behavior change. Results from the pre and post survey will indicate 35% of parents implemented the calls to action at home.

Throughout this experience, our team discovered how difficult it can be to develop and implement an effective and efficient intervention program that actually results in behavior change. We provided the parents of the third graders at Olander Elementary School with an informative newsletter that hopefully interested them and provided them with the necessary information they could utilize to help facilitate positive behavior change in their children. A considerable amount was learned over the course of this experience, mainly about what exactly it might be like to work in the field of community nutrition and how much works goes into it. We discovered that it takes a lot of research and data analysis to actually get good quality results that are usable when evaluating the program. Also, we all know now that this type of work involves a significant amount of time and collaboration efforts, as we experienced with Jen and the other team members in our group.

Some limitations we experienced with the program is that we were not able to provide parents with multiple newsletters and therefore couldn’t collect as much useful data in the time that we were allotted to complete the project. The time limitation, made it difficult for us to collect as much data as we would have wanted in order to have been better able to evaluate our program’s efficiency and effectiveness. Without enough time, we were not able to properly assess the aspects of our program that needed to change and overall areas for improvement. Some other limitations include some mild difficulties with communication between all of those involved in the project as well as with our resource, the newsletter, which could not be submitted electronically to the parents. This made it more difficult to get the newsletter out to the parents in a timely fashion and decreased the chance that all the parents would for sure receive it in the first place. Despite these setbacks, the newsletter did communicate our ideas well to the parents and it hopefully resulted in small behavior changes in the parents and their children. However we believe there are a few minor things that we would have done differently if we had had the opportunity to do so. We believe the Parent Food School newsletter will be more effective once the newsletters are sent out more often and immediately after the lessons are taught to the children.

The program that we got the chance to develop and the information that was revealed through this project could be very interesting and helpful for many other individuals and groups involved. We believe, that when the program is expanded, and more parents are reached by the program, more parents will become involved in the program. Eventually, parents from other schools in PSD could begin receiving and utilizing the newsletters as well. The district itself, may look at the results of our project and realize how crucial funding for health-related education programs is, and start allocating resources in order to get more individuals to back the program and promote its expansion. Teachers in other schools may also be interested in the program and

Short Title: 50 characters or less of 36 what it has to offer, providing the program with even more supporters and strength to expand and facilitate positive change in more and more children in our community. Overall, the newsletter provided the proper nutritional information accompanied with tips and activities that parents could utilize in order to be positive role models and influence their children to consume more fruits and vegetables. This overarching goal of The Parent’s Food School program is reflective of many other similar programs and efforts being made in the field of community nutrition today.

We had a considerable amount of assistance and support from others for this project and would like to give a special thanks to:

● Jennifer Todd & Friends of Happy Hearts Farm, our community service partner this semester

● The Food School at Olander Elementary School and all those involved with the program including all of the students, parents, and teachers participating in the program

● The Happy Heart Farm, specifically Dennis and Bailey Stenson for supporting The Food School and promoting awareness of their mission and impact in the Fort Collins community

1) Friends of Happy Heart Farm. Website. http://www.happyheartfriends.org/. (n.d.). Accessed

September 24, 2015.

2) The Food School. Website. http://focofoodschool.org/. (n.d.). Accessed September 24, 2015.


3) Childhood Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Website.

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm. Updated August 27, 2015. Accessed

September 25, 2015.

4) The State of Obesity. Website. http://stateofobesity.org/states/co/. Updated 2014. Accessed

August 31, 2015.

5) National Farm to School Network. Website. http://www.farmtoschool.org/. Updated 2012.

Accessed August 31, 2015.

6) Colorado CSAs. http://coloradocsas.info/. (n.d.) Accessed August 29, 2015.

7) Colorado Farm to School. 2015. http://coloradofarmtoschool.org/get-involved/how-to-get-

started/.(n.d.) Accessed September 23, 2015.

8) Childhood Obesity Statistics. Live Well Colorado. Website.

https://livewellcolorado.org/uploads/files/2013_04_01_21_57_25_Childhood%20Obesity%20Stati

stics%20-%206.21.12.pdf. (n.d.). Accessed October 26, 2015.

9) Overweight and Obesity. Compass of Larimer County. Website.

http://www.larimer.org/compass/overweight_obesity_h_ph.htm. Updated October 24, 2011.

Accessed October 26,2015.

10) Questions & Answers on the Final Rule, “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and

School Breakfast Programs”. United States Department of Agriculture. Food and Nutrition

Service. Website. http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cn/SP10-2012v9os2.pdf. Updated

July 2015. Accessed October 26, 2015.

11) Hall E, Weiwen C, Koszewski W, Albrecht J. Development and validation of a social cognitive

theory-based survey for elementary nutrition education program. International Journal Of

Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity. April 2015;12(1):1-12.

12) Perry C, Bishop D, Taylor G et al. Changing fruit and vegetable consumption among children: the

5-a-Day Power Plus program in St. Paul, Minnesota. Am J Public Health. 1998;88(4):603-609.

doi:10.2105/ajph.88.4.603.


13) Martin-Biggers J, Spaccarotella K, Delaney C, Koeings M, Alleman G, Hongu N, Worobey J, and

Byrd-Bredbenner C. Development of the Intervention Materials for the HomeStyles Obesity

Prevention Program for Parents of Preschool. Nutrients. 2015 Aug; 7 (8): 6628-6669.

doi:10.3390/nu7085301.

14) Vlope S, Hall W, Steckler A. Process evaluation results from the healthy nutrition intervention to

modify the total school food environment. Healthy Edu Res. 2013; 28 (6): 970-978. Doi: 10.1093

15) Hoorweg J. Impact evaluation of child nutrition programs. Food Policy. 1988; 13(2): 199-207

16) Baranowski T, Davis M, Resnicow K. Gimme 5 Fruit, Juice and Health: Outcome Evaluation.

Health Educ Behav. 2000; 27(1): 96-111. Doi:10.1177


APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: NEWSLETTER


APPENDIX 2: LESSON 1: COMPOSTING-‐ COMPLETING THE CYCLE

Learning Targets

I can…describe the composting process I can… wait my turn patiently and respectfully

Materials Needed

Station 1 (natural fertilizers) – coffee grounds, eggshells, coffee grinder, 5 to 6 small containers Station 2 (compost pile) – food scraps, dry leaves, pitch fork, water Station 3 (see thru compost container) – soil, food scraps, red wigglers, water, dry leaves, other scraps students might try and compost, small buckets or containers Station 4 (planting) – plant starters ready to put into the ground, trowels, Suggested Reading: Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner

Preparation

Station 1 ● ask teachers, parents to save used coffee grounds for the garden. You can add coffee

grounds to compost throughout the year, but save a bucketful for this lesson ● rinse and dry eggshells (if this doesn’t happen, no big deal since you’re not directly

digesting the eggshells which might carry salmonella) Station 2

● ask teachers to save compost scraps for a few days, bring food scraps from home, etc… ● ask parents, teachers to bring in dry leaves they’ve saved from fall clean-up

Station 3 ● in 5 separate small buckets or containers, place soil food scraps, soil with red wigglers, dry

leaves, and random compostable or non-compostable items such as paper, Styrofoam cup, something plastic, glass, etc..

Station 4 ● use either the hardy starters from your classroom or donated plants

Standards Addressed

Science 1. Earth’s materials can be broken down and/or combined into different materials such as rocks, minerals, rock

cycle, formation of soil, and sand – some of which are usable resources for human activity a. Investigate and identify two or more ways that Earth’s materials can be broken down and/or combined in

different ways such as minerals into rocks, rock cycle, formation of soil, and sand (DOK 1-2) Use evidence to develop a scientific explanation about one or more processes that break down and/or combine Earth materials (DOK 1-3)

1. The duration and timing of life cycle events such as reproduction and longevity vary across organisms and species

a. Use evidence to develop a scientific explanation regarding the stages of how organisms develop and change


over time (DOK 1-3)

Background Information

How Does Composting Work? Composting, often described as nature’s way of recycling, is the biological process of breaking up of organic waste such as food waste, manure, leaves, grass trimmings, paper, worms, and coffee grounds, etc., into an extremely useful humus-like substance by various micro-organisms including bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in the presence of oxygen. During composting micro-organisms from the soil eat the organic (carbon-containing) waste and break it down into its simplest parts. This produces fiber-rich, carbon-containing humus with inorganic nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The micro-organisms break the material down through aerobic respiration.

Through the respiration process, the micro-organisms give off carbon dioxide and heat. The more heat generated, the faster the decomposition occurs. During the composting cycle, the contents need to be mixed approximately weekly.

Compost is a soil conditioner, mulch and fertilizer all wrapped into one. It benefits the environment as a natural fertilizer for gardening and farming.

http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/howdoescompostingwork/

Fertilizer Fertilizer can be a big expense, but it doesn't have to be. Used coffee grounds and eggshells are free and provide much-needed nutrients to the soil. By using these items in the garden, not only are plants getting the nourishment they need, but these items will not be taking up space in a landfill. Storing coffee grounds and eggshells in a countertop composter, plastic container or plastic bag will prevent them from attracting bugs while you collect enough to use in the garden. Direct Application of Coffee Grounds Coffee grounds are an excellent free source of nitrogen, an element all plants need. A common misconception about coffee grounds as a fertilizer is that it may cause problems because of high acidity. But coffee grounds are close to neutral, with a pH between 6.5 and 6.8, making them a good choice for all plants. Each type of plant will prefer a different amount of coffee, so start small by adding 1 tablespoon of coffee grounds around each plant, lightly working it into the soil once a week. Observe how your plants react and add more each week until they stop showing signs of improvement. Composted Coffee Grounds Coffee grounds can be used in compost like other kitchen scraps. Paper filters can be composted as well, making coffee composting as easy as throwing it in the garbage. Combine equal parts grounds, grass clippings and dry leaves to create simple and effective compost. Combine all ingredients and


turn the compost over with a pitchfork once a week. Depending on the outdoor temperature, the compost should be ready to add to the garden in a few weeks. Eggshell Tea Eggshells are rich calcium. Without the proper amount of calcium in the soil, plants may produce deformed blooms. You may be buying lime to prevent this problem, but eggshells are just as effective. Store eggshells in a large container of water, adding more shells as you go. Let the mixture steep for at least a few days or up to several weeks. Combine 1 cup eggshell tea to 1 gallon of water and thoroughly water plants. Up to 1 gallon of the mixture can be used per plant. The added calcium will give plants a much-needed boost through production season. Powdered Eggshells Powdered eggshells can be added around the base of plants as a slow-release fertilizer. This process will benefit plants all season, and you can add it throughout the growing season. Allow eggshells to dry, then pulse in a blender until they become a fine powder. Sprinkle around the base of each plant. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilizing-plants-coffee-grounds-eggshells-44657.html

Plant Nutrients

Sixteen chemical elements are known to be important to a plant's growth and survival. The sixteen chemical elements are divided into two main groups: non-mineral and mineral.

Non-Mineral Nutrients

The Non-Mineral Nutrients are hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), & carbon (C).

These nutrients are found in the air and water.

In a process called photosynthesis, plants use energy from the sun to change carbon dioxide (CO2 - carbon and oxygen) and water (H2O- hydrogen and oxygen) into starches and sugars. These starches and sugars are the plant's food.

Photosynthesis means "making things with light".

Since plants get carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from the air and water, there is little farmers and gardeners can do to control how much of these nutrients a plant can use.


Mineral Nutrients

The 13 mineral nutrients, which come from the soil, are dissolved in water and absorbed through a plant's roots. There are not always enough of these nutrients in the soil for a plant to grow healthy. This is why many farmers and gardeners use fertilizers to add the nutrients to the soil.

The mineral nutrients are divided into two groups: macronutrients and micronutrients.

Macronutrients Macronutrients can be broken into two more groups: primary and secondary nutrients.

The primary nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). These major nutrients usually are lacking from the soil first because plants use large amounts for their growth and survival. The secondary nutrients are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), andsulfur (S). There are usually enough of these nutrients in the soil so fertilization is not always needed. Also, large amounts of Calcium and Magnesium are added when lime is applied to acidic soils. Sulfur is usually found in sufficient amounts from the slow decomposition of soil organic matter, an important reason for not throwing out grass clippings and leaves.

Micronutrients Micronutrients are those elements essential for plant growth which are needed in only very small (micro) quantities . These elements are sometimes called minor elements or trace elements, but use of the term micronutrient is encouraged by the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America. The micronutrients are boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chloride (Cl),manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn). Recycling organic matter such as grass clippings and tree leaves is an excellent way of providing micronutrients (as well as macronutrients) to growing plants. Resources: http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/howdoescompostingwork/ http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/nutrient.htm http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilizing-plants-coffee-grounds-eggshells-44657.html


APPENDIX 3: PRE SURVEY How strongly do you agree with the following statements?

1

Strongly Disagree

2 Disagree

3 Neutral

4 Agree

5 Strongly Agree

I am familiar with the Food School

I am familiar with the lessons taught to my child in the Food School

I am influential on my child's food choices

I feel confident teaching my child the information in the newsletter

On average, how many fruits and vegetables do you eat a day? True False

1-2

3-4

5-6


7+ On average, how many servings of fruits and vegetables does your child/children eat a day? True False

1-2

3-4

5-6

7+ How likely are you to do the following? Very Unlikely Unlikely Neutral Likely Very Likely

Compost at home

Use the "Calls to Action" in the newsletter

Volunteer for the Food School How useful did you find the following: Very Useless Useless Neutral Useful Very Useful


The information in the newsletter

The "Calls to Action" in the newsletter

Any suggestions for the Food School?


APPENDIX 4: POST SURVEY http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/Kk2go0oy How strongly do you agree with the following statements?

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

I am familiar with the Food School

I am familiar with the lessons taught to my child at the Food School

I am influential on my child's food choices

I feel confident teaching my child the information in the newsletter

How useful did you find the following: Very Useless Useless Neutral Useful Very Useful

The information in the newsletter The "Calls to action" in the newsletter

How many calls to action did you use at home?

● 0

● 1


● 2

● 3

remove answer Did you start a compost at home

● Yes

● No

On average, how many fruits and vegetables do you eat a day?

● 1-2

● 3-4

● 5-6

● 7+ On average, how many servings of fruits and vegetables does your child/children eat a day?

● 1-2

● 3-4

● 5-6

● 7+ How likely are you to do the following: Very Useless Useless Neutral Useful Very Useful

Volunteer at the Food School Any suggestions for the Food School?

community nutrition final project

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