Irene Padasas
Community Health and Nutrition Advisor

4437-B S. Laspina St.
Tulare, CA 93274
iopadasas@ucanr.edu
Office: (559) 684-3318

Karina Macias
Program Manager

550 E. Shaw Ave. Suite 210-B
Fresno, CA 93710
karmacias@ucanr.edu
Office: (559) 241-7618

Nancy R. Zumkeller
Program Supervisor

550 E. Shaw Ave. Suite 210-B
Fresno, CA 93710
nzumkeller@ucanr.edu
Office: (559) 241-7533

Elizabeth Lopez
Program Supervisor

550 E. Shaw Ave. Suite 210-B
Fresno, CA 93710
erlopez@ucanr.edu
Office: (559) 241-7532

Healthy School Environment

The CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Program can help you assess your school environment to identify opportunities for healthy changes. As we work to give children the knowledge and tools to make healthy choices, we can create an environment that encourages and supports those choices.

Healthy Role Models

In the classroom, cafeteria, and hallways students adopt the patterns of behavior they see in adults. Simple changes like food offered at staff meetings and school events or starting a walking group can make a big difference to the culture on campus. Nutrition educators have ideas and resources to help.

Healthy Practices

Healthy behavior is reinforced when it becomes an environmental norm. When a school agrees to follow guidelines about food offered in class and at events, when fundraisers utilize healthy options, when activity is woven into the school day, it is no longer a sacrifice to make healthy choices...now it's just the way we do things. Let's turn the tide on obesity and resulting chronic diseases in children by helping them develop lifelong healthy habits.

Healthy Messages

Providing healthy messages is the easiest strategy to implement and the easiest to overlook. Many times we are so familiar with our environment that we no longer see the messages all around us, both positive and negative. Nutrition educators can take a look at your campus with fresh eyes and work with you to send healthy messages to students.