UC 4-H 'Disease Detectives' across California become advocates for health and COVID-19 prevention after learning about epidemiology.

The Issue

With the emergence of the coronavirus, 4-H in-person meetings had to be canceled, along with schools, sports and other youth development programs. Emerging research shows this gap of in-person socializing, disruption to routines, fear of the virus, and the loss of a sense of personal autonomy has led to an increase in social, emotional and mental health issues for teens. Over half of teens in a National 4-H Council/ Harris Poll stated that the pandemic has increased their feelings of loneliness, and 7 in 10 teens report struggling with their mental health.

Cover art for The Junior Disease Detectives - Operation: Outbreak

How UC Delivers

The University of California 4-H Healthy Living Team witnessed that Californians were navigating confusing information about the best way to reduce the spread of the disease, with much misinformation being circulated. So the team decided to address these issues by adapting the Center for Disease Control and Prevention/4-H Junior Disease Detective: Operation Outbreak project for remote instruction.The project focused on concepts of epidemiology and included eight, interactive, virtual sessions covering public health professions, disease investigation, virus transmission, disease outbreaks, vaccines, immunity, prevention (such as how protective actions like handwashing and wearing masks reduce spread) and education. Eighty-nine youth indicated an interest in participating, with more than 45 4-H members from 15 counties across the state enrolling and completing the Virtual UC 4-H Epidemiology Project.

True to the 4-H experiential learning framework, and to address the research showing that teens are currently experiencing high levels of loneliness, the Project Leaders intentionally created a learning environment that included interactive, fun, challenging and social activities to foster a sense of connection. For example, youth learned about the benefits of wearing face masks with an activity where youth were challenged to blow a rolled up tissue from one to six feet away without a mask and then while wearing a mask. Their giggles did not mask the direct learning of how well a mask can contain one's breath.

During June and July 2020, the 4-H youth joined the Healthy Living Team to become "Disease Detectives", participating in the virtual UC 4-H Statewide Epidemiology Project. Youth were challenged to blow a rolled-up tissue from 1 to 6 feet away without a mask and again while wearing a mask.

Dorina Espinoza, Anne Iaccopucci (and Marcel Horowitz) trained the "Disease Detectives".

After completing the UC 4-H Epidemiology Project, youth reported that they were more likely to wash their hands before food preparation (78.1%), after sneezing or coughing (56.2%), and after shopping in a public space (87.5%). The majority (84.4%) of youth also reported that they were more likely to wear a face mask when out in public, compared to before the project. When youth were asked what they learned from the project, one youth stated, “I learned why masks work, I learned how hand sanitizer works, and I learned how I can help my community.” 

Youth reported not only improved health behaviors for themselves, but also reported being leaders in the health of their communities. Many of the young participants (62.5%) reported that they can definitely help control the spread of diseases and 71.9% could envision themselves getting involved in their local community to help slow the spread of disease. Following project participation, over half of all participants picture themselves choosing a career in medicine, public health, veterinary sciences or epidemiology. Participants of the UC 4-H Epidemiology Project have become advocates for health, with 75% reporting that they are discussing disease transmission and prevention with others. 

Research shows that wearing masks and washing hands limits the spread of COVID-19 disease. In this way, these measured outcomes may contribute to improved health for all and the public value of promoting healthy people and communities. 

The best part of the project was learning about how to protect myself and keep my family safe in these troubled times. - Youth participant

This poster is one of the health education materials developed by the 4-H youth as part of the UC 4-H Epidemiology Project.

Participants drew super heroes during the ice breaker socializing and grounding activity.

Strong partnership between CalFresh Healthy Living, UCCE Riverside County and Desert Sands Unified Early Childhood Education has resulted in preschool children developing healthier habits and healthier school environments.

The Issue

The Desert Sands Unified (DSUSD) Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program operates nine Head Start/State Preschool sites to serve limited resource families in Coachella Valley. The District's Head Start Needs Assessment indicates that the majority (80%) of 220 parents/guardians responded to the survey are Hispanic females in their 20s and 30s living in Indio. A large percentage said they are fluent in both English (88%) and Spanish (71%), and only 10.4% of participants speak only Spanish at home. The 2019 Community Health Survey found that one in four (24.9%) of Coachella Valley adults are living at or below 100% federal poverty level (harcdata.org) and over 40% of children have experienced one or more of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs is an indication of household instability and has been linked to risky health behaviors and chronic health problems in adulthood.

How UC Delivers

Since 2012, the CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL), UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Riverside County has developed a partnership with DSUSD ECE Program. The program has grown over the years to include teacher participation from all nine ECE sites and expanded direct education to comprehensive programming. In 2019-2020, CFHL, UCCE Educator Jackie Barahona provided teacher training for 16 ECE teachers to support delivery of the Go, Glow, Grow (GGG) curriculum with physical activity promotion to 469 preschool students. In addition, she has provided fruit taste-testing and guest speaker presentations in 11 classes before COVID-19 forced school closures.  CFHL, UCCE also reached out to Head Start parents and provided direct education to 37 parents, including 54% that participated in the nutrition series. To stimulate organizational and environmental changes, the CFHL, UCCE Educator attended six Head Start Policy Committee meetings as an active community partner and provided technical assistance to 15 teachers to complete pre-scorecard assessments and plan implementation of Smarter Mealtimes. Moreover, CFHL, UCCE Riverside County participated in the Jackson Preschool Walkathon event by holding an informational booth to educate and distribute indirect resources to families. With the start of the new school year, the CFHL, UCCE program has pivoted to virtual meetings. In September 2020, CFHL, UCCE presented GGG handwashing lesson to preschool children and their families and participated in one policy committee meeting via Zoom.

Raspberry tasting

The Impact

The strong partnership between CFHL, UCCE Riverside County and Desert Sands Unified Early Childhood Education has led to the implementation of healthy environmental changes in the schools, such as making healthy food choices available at school as well as providing consistent health messaging to teachers and parents to foster good food habits in preschool children. Additionally, data collected from 20 participating teachers during 2019 and 2020 shows 84% of teachers strongly agree that more students can now identify healthy food choices; 74% strongly agree that more students now are willing to try new foods at school; and 100% strongly agree that more students now wash hands more often before handling food. All teachers said they now encourage students to eat breakfast and to be physically active. Since children learn food preferences while they are young, research shows it is important to promote the acceptance of healthier foods in early childhood education settings (healthyeatingresearch.org). In this way, the program contributes to improved health for all and the public value of promoting healthy people and communities. 

"Our teachers indicate that incorporating a nutrition curriculum to their instruction is a positive way to introduce the importance of nutrition to our preschool students and their families. The resources we receive from you are age appropriate and very well received. In addition, having you as a nutrition bilingual educator supports the teachers and their families to adequately implement the program." From Dr. J. Rallion, DSUSD ECE Principal

“Great nutrition/healthy curriculum. The children respond and are engaged with the games, recipes and activities. Thank you for your support in creating a healthier generation.” Mrs. Alvarez, DSUSD Child Development Center

Eighty-six percent of private forest landowners indicate they are highly motivated to develop a forest management plan after attending a Forest Stewardship workshop, which puts them on the path towards improved management of forest lands, participation in cost-share funding programs, and protecting California's natural resources.

The Issue

Protecting California's forests starts with a plan. There are 87,000 private forest landowners in California who collectively own nine million acres. For private forest landowners, identifying desired goals and objectives is not always easy especially when there are seemingly conflicting goals. Forest stewardship is based on conservation principles that ensure protection of forest resources including wildlife, timber, soil, water, recreational opportunities and natural beauty. Forest stewards actively manage their land by implementing management objectives based on multiple resources while conserving natural resources in an economically viable way. Depending on the steps identified to implement their vision, landowners may need further assistance from Registered Professional Foresters (RPF) or cost-share funding for project implementation.

How UC Delivers

UC ANR is uniquely positioned to utilize our expertise in outreach and education, and collaborate with local, state and federal partners to provide the resources and support private forest landowners needs. Beginning in January 2020, UC ANR's Forest Stewardship Education Initiative has hosted workshops to help landowners learn how to articulate their vision for their forest land, and identify the steps needed to achieve it. Throughout the workshop, participants gather site-specific information to better understand their forest, and focus their goals leading towards the development of a management plan. With five completed workshops, two currently ongoing workshops, and four upcoming workshops, UC ANR has engaged over 200 forest landowners across California. Clearly our work is just beginning!

The Impact

After completing the workshop, 66% of participants have written out their management goals and 60% made progress on developing a management plan. Additionally, participants who complete the workshop are eligible for a free initial site visit by an RPF. This visit can be the start of a working relationship between the landowner and the RPF, leading to a completed management plan submitted for cost-share funding. To date, 39% of workshop participants have made contact with an RPF and 15% have begun a cost-share funding process. Seventy-eight percent have begun implementing some management activities from their plans, demonstrating improved management and use of land that contributes to the public value of protecting California's natural resources. 

Workshop participants measuring and recording tree diameter.

 “I feel much clearer on the steps to make a forest management plan, what I can do myself, and what we need to hire a professional for.” - Redding workshop participant

“(The workshop)…provided a roadmap for helping private landowners think holistically about managing their forests.” - Blodgett workshop participant

 “I felt the workshop was a great way to introduce forest land-owners to professionals, as well as start the dialogue necessary to accomplish their management goals. It also seems like a great way to educate non-forestry professionals on management techniques.”– Jacob Harrower, Forest Operations Manager, Jacobszoon & Associates, RPF #3070.

CalFresh Healthy Living UCCE nutrition education program helps students increase willingness to try new healthy foods with 79-82% reporting they would ask for the target foods at home, contributing to improved youth nutrition and health.

The Issue

Poor eating habits and excess energy intake can negatively affect body weight and contributes to poor health outcomes among children. Eating appropriate mix of foods from the food groups and subgroups is the key recommendation because it provides a variety of nutrients that are associated with positive health outcomes and help prevent the risk of chronic disease throughout the periods of growth and development.

How UC Delivers

In 2019-20, the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Tulare-Kings implemented CalFresh Healthy Living, UC (CFHL, UC) nutrition education program with tasting activities across SNAP-Ed eligible preschools, schools, and after school settings. Children and youth taste tests occurred as part of the direct and indirect nutrition education, and policy, systems, and environment (PSE) initiatives such as youth farmer's market, school gardens, and smarter lunchrooms movement. UCCE nutrition educators also conducted youth taste tests through partnerships with school food service programs that feature and promote menu items to help increase appeal, reduce waste, and improve meal participation. Students take the recipes home to share with their families. In Tulare county, 363 tastings were conducted with 7,614 students and in Kings county, 106 tastings were conducted with 1,920 students.

Kindergarteners planted, harvested, and tasted radishes. “The students were super excited to harvest what they grew. Students also were able to taste and take a radish home to show their parents.”- Marina Aguilera, UCCE Nutrition Educator, Tulare.

The Impact

Nutrition educators administered the Taste Testing Tool (TTT) to capture student intention and food preferences immediately following food tastings. In Tulare county, of the 7,614 students who tasted variety of food, 97% tried it during the activity, 14% tasted the food before, 81% were willing to eat it again, and 79% were willing to ask for it at home. In Kings county, of the 1,920 students who tasted variety of food, 98% tried it during the activity, 31% tasted the food before, 84% were willing to eat it again, and 82% were willing to ask for it at home. Foods tasted were from all food groups- fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy.

To summarize, CFHL, UC food tastings provided several benefits to children and youth. It created opportunity to engage in hands-on food-related activities, offered repeated exposure to new foods, improved food preferences, demonstrated willingness to try foods and willingness to ask for them at home, strengthened partnerships with school districts, and provided parent outreach. Research has found that opportunities for children to taste unfamiliar, healthy foods increase the likelihood of consumption later in life. Collectively, these measured outcomes demonstrated youth learning that leads to improved nutrition and health and the public value of promoting healthy people and communities.

Students enjoyed the making of Wheat Buns and loved the taste of their creation. Susan Lafferty and Eldon Bueno - UCCE Nutrition Educators in Kings County provided hands-on learning to students on how to make wheat buns.

Comments from students:

“I've never tried raw broccoli before - this is good”

“I didn't know we could eat the seeds”

“This is bomb I didn't think I would like it but this is great. I don't like Greek yogurt but this is good”

Comments from teachers:

“Students were willing to try it because ingredients came from their school garden”

“This class had a great response to the snow pea”

“In this class one student decided to taste it after all due to seeing most of the other students liking it”