By Andi Anderson
Purdue Extension and the Welborn Baptist Foundation are partnering to help young students in Indiana make healthier lifestyle choices. According to the CDC, half of Indiana children ages 1 to 5 do not eat a daily vegetable, and two-thirds drink at least one sugary drink each week. The new initiative, called Upgrade, encourages kids to eat better and move more through school-based programs.
Upgrade is a program created by the Welborn Baptist Foundation to improve health in communities. It operates in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky schools. Purdue Extension health and human sciences (HHS) educators are now helping implement Upgrade in 31 southern Indiana schools.
The program uses nine strategies to promote physical activity and good nutrition. Activities include walking programs, active recess, improved physical education, brain breaks, and movement-based learning. Megan Jaspersen, an Extension educator, co-teaches gym classes and introduces fun, active games. “It's more important now than ever for kids to be moving when they are at school because they go home and often sit in front of technology or scroll for way more hours than they used to instead of going to play outside,” said Jaspersen. “School might be the only time that those kids are going to get any physical activity in their day.”
For healthy eating, educators encourage students to drink water, use bottle fillers, and make better food choices at school. Classroom parties now include healthier foods. In the SuperFood Heroes lessons, students learn about healthy foods like “Randy Radish,” who teaches about the healing powers of vegetables.
Cafeteria improvements also help serve fresh, from-scratch meals. Angie Ray, another Extension educator “Many Indiana schools are in rural areas,” said Ray. “We’re able to provide support that helps low-resource schools have similar offerings to other nearby schools.”
Schools apply for Upgrade grants every two years, receiving funding and educator support. The program may expand to high schools. After using action-based learning, one high school reported improved energy and fewer suspensions.
Gabriella Isaacson, a program assistant, said, “Having additional people from Purdue Extension… has taken the Upgrade program to the next level.”
Photo Credit: purdue-university
Categories: Indiana, Education