Fresno and Madera Counties' UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program has a long standing partnership with the Fresno State Dietetic Internship Program. This blog post is part of our Intern Reflections Series.

During my two weeks at UC CalFresh, I was privileged to both observe and lead nutrition outreach to many different populations. The groups ranged from adult classes at the Veterans Administration to elementary students at Ayer Elementary School in the Fresno Unified School District and Bailey Elementary School in the Firebaugh–Las Deltas Unified School District.

As I observed or taught the sessions, it became increasingly clear to me just how important these lessons are. Each individual comes from a unique background and home environment, but everyone is entitled to learn about health and how to care for their bodies. I watched veterans learn how to meal plan and think through some tips to save on groceries, and I lead children through exercises that re-enforced the benefits of eating the MyPlate food groups. All activities, lessons, chants, books, posters, and sample food items helped promote and shape health in our society and our future leaders.

It also became clear to me just how critical the nutrition educators are to this process. They lead every session with enthusiasm and a clear desire to promote better health. I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to lead the sessions myself, and practice putting my own energy into health promotion.

Some other projects I worked on included writing parent and teacher newsletters about dried fruit, creating a MyPlate Nutrition Corner and re-evaluating the pricing of some of the main recipes used in food demos. Perhaps one of the most memorable days of my rotation was assisting several of the nutrition educators in a Food Friday event at Ayer Elementary School. This MyPlate-themed obstacle course was the result of four weeks of students tracking their fruit and vegetable consumption at school. Miss Strawberry became my name for the morning, and my duties ranged from leading group stretches, educating about the importance of exercise and hydration, and leading a MyPlate activity.

Overall, I enjoyed this rotation through community nutrition immensely, and it further developed my interest in public health. To future interns preparing for these two weeks, I would recommend you arrive energized and ready to make a positive impact.

Fresno and Madera Counties' UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program has a long standing partnership with the Fresno State Dietetic Internship Program. This blog post is part of our Intern Reflections Series.

Before interning at UC Cooperative Extension, I never thought about how important health education is to a community. During this fun rotation, I had the opportunity to participate in both the adult and youth nutrition education programs at UC CalFresh. The classes deliver healthy eating and living concepts through interesting stories, pictures, cooking demonstrations, food tastings, simple physical activities and fun games and activities. UC CalFresh also gives out colorful and easy-to-read nutrition handouts, healthy recipe books, and cooking and measuring tools for people to stay healthy. All the nutrition classes greatly emphasize eating according to MyPlate, consuming proper portion sizes, and getting adequate physical activity.

It was such a rewarding moment for me to see the smiling faces of my kindergarten and first grade “audience” while I read them a nutrition storybook. 

Another fun project I enjoyed a lot was creating a “Nutrition Corner.” The theme of my corner was “Proper Hydration,” targeting the senior population. The information displayed on the corner will help them to understand the importance of proper hydration and provide ways to help them stay hydrated every day. It took me a while to create a cohesive message, but I felt that my hard work paid off when the final product was complete.

Overall, the UC CalFresh team taught me many things through projects, assignments, and fun activities. From my two weeks at UCCE, I observed the community's need for nutrition information, the participants' appreciation of the classes that UC CalFresh offers and the changes people are making thanks to UC CalFresh's efforts. I am very thankful I could be a part of these meaningful moments.

Fresno and Madera Counties' UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program has a long standing partnership with the Fresno State Dietetic Internship Program. This blog post is part of our Intern Reflections Series.

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The University of California CalFresh Program is exactly what this community, and every community, needs. The number of hours dedicated to teaching both children and adults in Fresno and Madera Counties about nutrition is impressive, but what really shocked me was stepping into the supply room. Gazing at all of the laminated posters, physical activity props, packaged and organized education games, and Nutrition Corner poster boards was overwhelming and exciting. I am someone who deeply appreciates organization and lamination, so seeing all the education materials so meticulously filed and ready for use was a beautiful sight. 

This rotation allowed me the opportunity to get involved in teaching both children and adults, however, my true talents lie behind the scenes, working on special projects. I was given the opportunity to complete a two-hour training for the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement, which gave me so many inexpensive ideas about how to alter a lunchroom in order to highlight nutrient dense food choices. I also gathered important facts about calcium and calcium-containing foods for the next newsletter UC CalFresh will put out.

Another extra project I received required me to do some undercover research in the grocery store. While observing an adult class, a project the participants had to complete was using two different lists of foods from a grocery store: one with nutrient dense foods and one with mostly processed foods. The assignment was to come up with meals for a day that included the foods, and also to note that the healthier list was actually less expensive, busting the myth that eating healthy costs more. The lists that were being used were a tad out dated, so my preceptor gave me the task of updating them to see if the healthier list was still less expensive; it was. 

I also worked on a Nutrition Corner that will be placed in schools to reinforce nutrition and physical activity education. I chose to focus my Nutrition Corner board on physical activity, and what exercises can be done to make certain muscles stronger.  The age-audience for this board is 4^th-6^th graders and their parents. I incorporated MyPlate by highlighting how nutrients from each food group aid physical activity. 

I admire the educators here at UC CalFresh. They are the people on the front line, helping our next generation to be healthier than the last, and I appreciate every single minute they put into their jobs. 

Fresno and Madera Counties' UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program has a long standing partnership with the Fresno State Dietetic Internship Program. This blog post is part of our Intern Reflections Series.

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My time here with the UC CalFresh Program has been quite insightful. It was great to see that nutrition education is provided to those that need it most right here in our own community. I had the opportunity to observe and facilitate nutrition lessons for both adults and children during my time with the program.

The lessons that are taught through the UC CalFresh Program are from curricula created by the University of California system, and include education on MyPlate and other important aspects of nutrition and health. I found it very rewarding to teach children as young as first grade about MyPlate and the importance of nutrients for the body. I'm glad there are programs like this one that are helping to increase the knowledge of nutrition in elementary school aged children because I was never exposed to this type of information until I was in college. Knowing that these children are being taught such important lessons is significant to me as a future dietitian, as it increases their chances of living a healthier lifestyle as they get older. Observing the adult classes was also an exciting part of my time with the program, as I have not had a chance to teach an adult class about nutrition. I helped facilitate the review portion of different sessions, prepare a nutritious fruit salad and instruct short physical activities. 

Another part of my rotation included creating a Nutrition Corner poster in which I chose the topic of animal protein and plant protein, providing tips on how to utilize and incorporate both into an everyday diet. I made it interactive by having the tips hidden under flaps that you have to open, which I hope will get students to actually come up to the board and engage with the information. I also created a newsletter for teachers and parents discussing the importance of calcium in the diet, and facts about calcium that would be interesting to students as well as parents.

Overall, my experience was extremely beneficial in expanding my creativity for teaching students as well as adults. It is important as a future dietitian to know what types of materials different populations are receptive to, and to truly be passionate about the information you are providing so that the audience is more engaged with that information.