Lisa Whittlesey Extension Program Specialist National JMG Program - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Lisa Whittlesey Extension Program Specialist National JMG Program Coordinator g

Mission: Growing good kids by igniting a Mission: Growing good kids by igniting a passion for learning, success, and service through a unique gardening g q g g education.

JMG: Igniting a passion for learning “It enhances the It enhances the student and teacher learning process learning process … serves as a catalyst for student interest for student interest in science .” JMG Group leader response p p National JMG Leader Survey

JMG: Igniting a passion for success For all students Th JMG The JMG program currently serves students in public students in public school, home school and private school p settings. Also in camps, summer programs, and businesses!

JMG: Igniting a passion for service “ The children are learning far more than what the ground can produce… they are learning to be active participants in their community to help their mmunit t h lp th i fellow man. Gonzalo Salazar – Principal Los Fresnos Consolidated ISD

2011 JMG is… Program is 11 years old! • 1 000 000 youths impacted in • 1,000,000 youths impacted in USA annually • JMG in all 50 States • 38 State Partners • International programs in Latin America – Guatemala, Honduras, G Costa Rica; Canada, South Korea

JMG –International! � Partnership-Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture � Partnership with Amigos – Houston, TX � JMG Programs Latin America: Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica Rica � South Korea –Gweocheon National Science Museum, schools, botanical gardens, and universities

Garden Based Garden Based Research Research

What Can School Gardens DO? Benefits � Potential to increase fruit and vegetable intake � Encourage willingness to try/taste fruits E illi t t /t t f it and vegetables � Potential to positively change dietary P t ti l t iti l h di t preferences

Is there a network to support? � National Cooperative Extension System Benefits � Network of educators/volunteers in place – � Network of educators/volunteers in place EFNEP, SNAP-Ed, and adult Master Gardener volunteer programs. JMG ties to their mission and outreach. � Local farmers market and farm to school programs � State and local health organizations and agencies i � State and local education organizations � Chef Associations � Community volunteer organizations

National Interest Benefits � USDA – People’s Garden Project p j � White House Kitchen Garden � Increase in sales of vegetable � Increase in sales of vegetable transplants through nurseries � Concept of “local-vores” p � Organically grown

Gardening and Experiential Gardening and Experiential g Nutrition Education in Schools Nutrition Education in Schools Promising Approach Promising Approach Promising Approach Promising Approach - Nutrition Education plus gardening was found as an effective Nutrition Education plus gardening was found as an effective strategy for improving in school conumption of fruit and vegetables during school lunch times. (Parmer et.al., 2009) - Evidence of promising gains in fruit and vegetables interest and knowledge, but limited evidence-based, peer-reviewed research evaluating gardening programs on nutritional research evaluating gardening programs on nutritional outcomes. (Robinson-O’Brian, 2009)

JMG Program Evaluation JMG Program Evaluation g 85% of respondents stated that JMG has increased youth interest in science Over 83% of respondents stated JMG has contributed to higher academic standards Over 85% of respondents said JMG youths were more enthusiastic about learning Over 63% of respondents said JMG youths tried new fruits and vegetables g National Online Survey of JMG Teachers Conducted by Texas A&M University Departm ent of Agricultural Education Departm ent of Agricultural Education, Texas 4 -H Office, and National JMG Program Office

2007 issue of Hort Technology Studies specifically examining the benefits of Studies specifically examining the benefits of students participating in JMG Curricula : “… results show once weekly use of gardening … results show once weekly use of gardening activities and hands-on classroom activities help improve science achievement test scores ” scores. Impact of Hands-on Science through School Gardening in Louisiana Public Elementary Schools “ Students in the experimental group scored significantly higher on the science g y g achievement test compared to the students in the control group .” Growing Minds: The Effect of a School Gardening Growing Minds: The Effect of a School Gardening Program on the Science Achievement of Elementary Students

2007 issue of Hort Technology “ Qualitative data also indicated that the students enjoyed the program, shared what they learned with others and wanted to learned with others , and wanted to participate in more JMG and gardening type activities .” An Evaluation of the Junior Master Gardener Program in Third Grade Classrooms “ … students in the experimental group students in the experimental group did significantly increase their overall life skills scores .” Growing Minds: The Effects of a One year School Growing Minds: The Effects of a One-year School Garden Program on Six Constructs of Life Skills of Elementary School Children

Students that participated in Junior Master Gardening program and curriculum scored higher on science achievement tests that students in traditional science classes. National Science Teachers Association Magazine, January 2006

Parental Involvement through Parental Involvement through JMG pr JMG pr JMG programs JMG programs rams rams • Study of parental involvement in schools with JMG programs Study of parental involvement in schools with JMG programs found that school gardening may be an effective tool for involving parents • The greatest increase in parental involvement was seen in white and Hispanic parents, lower socio-economic families, and families with parents with GED or less educational level. Boyer, 2002

Components of State-wide program 1.Nutritional educational materials targeting farmers market consumers 2.School salad bars – funds supported equipment in 3 supported equipment in 3 elementary schools 3.School Gardening with the Junior 3 School Gardening with the Junior Master Gardener – Health and Nutrition from the Garden Recipes for kids and parents on h how to use produce t d http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/extension/food_health/nutrition/better_health.html

Found to have a positive impact on third- grade classrooms across participating grade classrooms across participating counties and success. C Creating school gardens, providing ti h l d idi nutrition education, and encouraging interaction between students, teachers, interaction between students teachers parents, and the community: •contributed to increased fruit and vegetable intake among students. Results to be •provided students with a sense of locally provided students with a sense of locally published later published later grown produce in 2011 • student desire to sample produce new to their taste buds. http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/extension/food_health/nutrition/better_health.html

http://www.sbsdk12.org/news/2010/06/22eastsidewellness.shtml 500 children identified by BMI as overweight or obese •Children and parents participate in Salud y Bienestar (10 week program) • Junior Master Gardener program – catalyst to teach J i M t G d t l t t t h nutrition, understand where food comes from, helps encourage healthy choices parents and kids working encourage healthy choices, parents and kids working together • Garden Café – introduced to allow children to pay p y nominal price to sample foods prepared by chef using fresh, locally grown produce

Pilot Results Pilot Results •Overall decreases in prevalence of obesity and O ll d i l f b it d overweight, with more marked decrease with an increasing length of time in program increasing length of time in program •Prevalence of obesity decreased from 30% to 25% in one year y •Prevalence of overweight and obesity combined decreased from 55% to 42% in time period •Results for girls- decrease in prevalence of obesity from 26 to 19%, and decrease of prevalence of obesity and overweight from 48 to 38% obesity and overweight from 48 to 38% http://www.sbsdk12.org/news/2010/06/22eastsidewellness.shtml

Using Family Focused Garden, Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs , y y g to Reduce Childhood Obesity 5 Year AFRI Funded Integrated Research and Extension Grant 5 Year AFRI Funded Integrated Research and Extension Grant •Texas AgriLife Extension Service •Michael & Susan Dell Center, UTHSC School of Public Health Mi h l & S D ll C t UTHSC S h l f P bli H lth •Texas A&M University •TAMU Health Science Center, School of Rural Public Health •TAMU Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation Evaluate Extension programs Walk Across Texas Junior Master Evaluate Extension programs Walk Across Texas, Junior Master Gardener Program when used with school CATCH programs P Project begins in spring 2011 j t b i i i 2011

Activity Session Activity Session y

JMG Curricula JMG Curricula