- Author: Hannah Lee
The wonderful staff at Ayer Elementary School invited the UC CalFresh team to be part of the fun at their Spring Carnival! Schools hold so many wonderful events throughout the year, and this carnival was a great opportunity to add some nutrition education and physical activity to the fun!
We set up a colorful and interactive booth so parents, students, and Ayer staff could learn more about eating healthy and staying active.
This student planned a delicious, balanced meal with UC CalFresh Nutrition Educator Hannah, using a MyPlate and food models.
Nutrition Educator Elizabeth helped students sort food models into MyPlate hula hoops. The kids got quite a kick out of running back and forth, and teaching each other what food group the models belonged to.
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Over 100 students and parents came to visit us and learn more about healthy eating and staying active. To learn more for yourself, check out ChooseMyPlate.gov and keep an eye out for UC CalFresh at events near you!
- Author: Mishelle Petit
UC CalFresh was invited to attend Gaston Middle School's Health Fair on April 6th, 2017. The event was held during Gaston's open house event. Other organizations such as Clinica Sierra Vista, March of Dimes, and Fresno State nursing students were all in attendance, to deliver health education to both parents and students. Gaston Middle School's very own health club worked together to put on this event for their community.
Nutrition Educators, Elizabeth and Mishelle, at Gaston Middle School.
Many students recognized MyPlate from school and the cafeteria. Students enjoyed testing their MyPlate knowledge with pictures of different foods and getting in some physical activity with the help of our physical activity dice! Parents enjoyed receiving recipe cards, information on MyPlate, and other tips and tricks for a healthier lifestyle.
Nutrition Educator, Elizabeth Lopez, teaching about the five food groups on MyPlate!
The gym also displayed student work that included information on the five food groups, vitamins and minerals, the importance of drinking water and the different types of fat.
Overall, UC CalFresh enjoyed the opportunity to reach out to middle school students and their families. We hope to be back next year!
- Author: Hannah Lee
- Contributor: Emily Harris
In January, Ayer students started their Food Friday Campaign with the goal of eating more fruits and veggies. A total of 559 servings of fruits and veggies were eaten during the four Food Fridays - way to go, Ayer Bears! Congratulations to Mrs. Lee's first grade class for having the largest increase of fruits and veggie consumption over the four weeks! Her class ate almost twice as many fruits and vegetables on the last Food Friday in comparison to the first.
To celebrate Ayer students' hard work with Food Friday, UC CalFresh hosted a MyPlate obstacle course! Check out all of the fun below!
UC CalFresh team members Chris, Hannah, Austin, and Maira, Fresno State Dietetic Intern Alicia and NFCS Advisor Mandeep, couldn't be more excited!
Austin shows kiddos the Fruit Hoops.
Chris the Carrot leads the way across the field.
Students stretch their arms with Hannah.
Maira provides some push-up motivation for these strong students!
Thank you to everyone at Ayer Elementary for helping us put on this wonderful event! Students had a great time and were reminded to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
- Author: Consuelo Cid
- Contributor: Emily Harris
Promoting MyPlate and
Physical Activity is what
UC CalFresh does best!
UC CalFresh has a long withstanding partnership with Fresno Unified School District; this partnership makes promoting healthy eating habits and physical activity, at a critical time period in these students' lives, possible.
UC CalFresh Staff are ready to get students moving.
UC CalFresh supported Vang Pao Elementary during their school wide Jog-a-Thon event on November 10, 2016 by providing a MyPlate Obstacle Course. The Vang Pao Jog-a-Thon was a success where students raised $2,800 for their school!
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What is a MyPlate Obstacle Course?
Glad you asked! A MyPlate obstacle course is a great stand alone physical activity motivator or in Vang Pao's case, a fun warm-up.
Vang Pao students warmed up their muscles and hit the track with a bang! The obstacle featured 5 main stations named after our beloved food groups, of course. It also featured in-between activities to keep students moving as they transitioned from station to station.
Need leg warm ups before hitting the trail? Try the Dairy Dips. Need some energy for some added spring to your step? Try the Whole Grain Hops. Want to test your aim? The Fruit Hoops station is for you. If you are in need of some arm warm ups, visit the Protein Push-up station to keep those arm muscles strong and limber. Still not challenged? Get your heart pumping with Vegetable Vertical Mountain Climbers.
All you need is a large open space and a little imagination to make the MyPlate Obstacle course a reality...
UC CalFresh is ready to get moving; shall we begin?
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How about some raise the roof push-ups?
Students master the Whole Grain Hops as they put their agility to the test.
Ms. Strawberry loses no time and keeps students moving to their next station.
Vegetable vertical mountain climbers are a challenge, but look at how these students and Chris the Carrot rise to the occasion.
Ms. Perez motivates her students to improve their physical fitness and promote their bone health one dairy dip lunge at a time.
Looks like Ms. Perez has some friendly competition: who lunged better? Ms. Tomato or Ms. Perez's group? Regardless, both groups are winners!
If the MyPlate Obstacle course does not energize students, nothing will! Students easily breezed through the MyPlate Obstacle Course.
Our fruit and vegetable friends remind students that eating healthy foods along with 60 minutes of physical activity is the key to their health and to their continued academic success.
Running is such a great way to improve heart and lung health, and who knew one could raise money doing something this fun?!
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Until the next running adventure...
- Author: Consuelo Cid
- Contributor: Emily Harris
Are you looking to FUNdraise?
Fundraising helps support our schools and can be both fun and creative!
Did you know that supporting your school and promoting active and healthy students can go hand-in-hand?
Have you considered a ...
Color Run?!?!
The University of California CalFresh Nutrition Education Program supported Ezekiel Balderas Elementary School during their Character Counts Community Color Run on October 20, 2016. UC CalFresh provided an interactive Rethink your Drink display and Hydration Station.
The Color Run celebrated Fresno Unified School District's Character Counts Week! Participating students were issued a Color Run T-shirt and were painted in the 6 character count pillar colors. The Color Run was a huge success, with 300 tickets sold!
Just look at how this this little one sports his Balderas Character Counts T-shirt.
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On your mark...get set...Go!
Slow and steady wins the race...
Students quickly learned that jogging was the best strategy to conserve energy during their hour-long race!
Did someone say WATER?
Water is the beverage of choice!
After a few laps, students sought out water to hydrate their bodies and keep them moving.
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Would you like to join in on the Color Run movement?
Visit Active School Fundraising for more ideas and tips on how to spearhead your very own healthy fundraising event.
Don't hang up your running shoes just yet! Stay tuned for more physical activity successes in Fresno and Madera Counties.
Until next time....
