Brockton Office

March is National Nutrition Month” “Nutrition From the Ground Up” is the American Dietetic Association theme.

Local Happenings

March April 2010 

Nutrition:  First Grade; Brockton Public Schools

During the months of January, February and March staff from the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program will be presenting a nutrition lesson to all first grade students in Brockton Public Schools.  The lesson will be planned around the book, I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child.  The book will be read aloud to each grade one classroom and a discussion of   MyPyramid will be introduced to the class.  Students will explore MyPyramid for making healthy food choices and for being active every day. Nutrition and physical activity enrichment activities will also be provided for each teacher to use in the classroom as follow up.  For more information about this program please contact Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475. 

Nutrition: South Middle School, After School Program Brockton

In partnership with the Brockton Schools the UMass Extension NEP staff will be presenting the “SPIN”, Strength and Power in Nutrition Program to students enrolled in an after school program at South Middle School in Brockton. During the months of January, February and March, UMass Nutrition Educators will provide 8 weekly, 1 ½  hour classes to the students.  The program, called “SPIN”: Strength and Power in Nutrition, was developed and written by Jean Anliker, NEP Program Leader and Associate Professor, and Elena Carbone, Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health and Health Sciences at UMass Amherst.  SPIN is an innovative, research-based program that helps pre-teens build personal POWER through daily decisions about money, food, and physical activity.  In the workshops pre-teens become PIs (Product Investigators) and go behind the scenes, learning about how food companies market their food and beverages, and learn what is really in these products.   Each session includes fun discovery activities, simple classroom physical activities to music, and new snacks to try.   For more information on this program contact Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475. 

Nutrition: Brockton Middle Schools, Sixth Grade Wellness Classes

In partnership with the Brockton Schools the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program staff will present the workshop “What is Hiding in Your Food” for 6^th grade students in Brockton.  The workshop will feature eye opening activities including hidden sugar in food and beverages, fats in fast foods, how fiber aids in digestion and keeping an eye on food ads.  The workshops will be presented throughout the school year.  For more information on this program contact Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475. 

Nutrition: Brockton Middle Schools: Eighth Grade Wellness Classes

The UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program Staff in collaboration with the Brockton Schools Health Educators will be presenting a lesson in the 8^th grade wellness

(Health) classes titled “Fit and Fantastic, Health at any Size”.  Students will discover ways to maintain a healthy diet and physical activity plan and to distinguish the difference between hunger and appetite. Students will be also be able to identify how outside influences and the media plays a role in our self esteem and body image and how it can influence our decisions on how and what we eat. Students will also understand how eating a healthy diet can favorably impact both physical and emotional health. For more information about this program contact Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475. 

Nutrition: Brockton High School, Ninth Grade Wellness Classes

In partnership with the Brockton Schools the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program staff will present the workshop “The Power of You” to all Health (Wellness) Classrooms at the Brockton High School during the school year.  This workshop is designed to help students understand and react to the importance of making healthy choices in nutrition and physical activity. The workshop will highlight the prevention of chronic disease through use of the Dietary Guidelines, MyPyramid, and Food Labels. Goal setting, media influence and body image and their effects on our food choices are also addressed. For more information contact:  Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475. 

Nutrition: Family Health Nights, Brockton Elementary Schools:

UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program in collaboration with the Brockton Public Schools will be presenting Family Health Nights in the Fall 2009 and in the Spring 2010 for Brockton Elementary School students and their families.  The theme of these years Family Health Night is “Brockton is Going Green ~Go Green& Get Fit & Lean”.  This fun, entertaining and educational program will focus on ways to become healthy and fit through fresh and healthy food choices and through a variety of fun fitness activities. The program will be presented at each of the school on the dates listed below from 5:30-7pm. Any Brockton Elementary School not listed below has had the program offered in the Fall. For more information contact: Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475.

SPRING  2010

March 3; at the George School, Raymond invited

March 10; at the Baker School

March 24; at the Kennedy School      

George School International Month, Brockton Schools:

During the month of April and May the George School will be participating in an International Food and Nutrition Festival.  The goal of the program is to enhance children’s knowledge, attitudes and behavior to the importance of international foods to our own culture and to encourage children to choose from a variety of healthy foods especially a variety of fruits and vegetables. During this time there will be several events going on at the George School. The Health Teachers will be presenting a curriculum on nutrition focusing on an international nutrition and foods and UMass Extension, Nutrition Education Program Staff will also join in the Health classroom on the last week of April to conduct interactive international nutrition activities.  For five lunches during the first and second weeks of May the George School Food Service Staff through Chartwell School Food Service will prepare and serve an international menu. Students will have food “tasting passports” which will get stamped as they try new foods! Also during that week the cafeteria will be decorated and will come alive with music celebrating an international food festival.  For more information about this program contact:  Andrea Gulezian, Extension Educator, at 508-513-3475. 

Nutrition: Self Help Head Start Children’s Transportation Nutrition Program

There is something really fun happening on the nine Self Help Head Start buses!  During the months of February, March and April,  Head Start children returning to and from school on their bus will be listening to 3 different songs a month for 3 months , that were created for educational use from the  Dole 5 A Day program, that focus on fruits, vegetables, physical activity and healthy habits. The bus monitors will read a script about each song and then play the songs for the children. The songs are lively, fun and filled with good health information for kids! The transportation staff will play the music every Tuesday and Thursday for at least 10 minutes during the bus ride home from school.  During the month of February the songs focus on fruits, during the month of March the focus is on broccoli and vegetables and during the month of April the songs focus on Breakfast and Physical Activity.   The UMass Extension Family Nutrition  Program in Brockton has been working at the Self Help Head Start sites over the past 10 years educating the students (and parents) about the importance of having a healthy diet, especially more fruits and vegetable and to get physical activity in their everyday lives.  For more information contact Andrea at 508-513-3475. 

Nutrition: Self Help Head Start: Parents Program; Brockton

Parents of Children in the Self Help Head Start Program are all invited to participate in the 2 nd annual  Self Help Inc. Head Start Recipe Contest.   Parents who decide to enter the contest will be asked to submit a recipe that is nutritious, moderate in cost, easy to prepare and child friendly.  Using this criteria there will be a winner selected from each of the Self Help Head Start Sites. Each site winner will have their recipe demonstrated and prepared by staff from the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program at the April Nutrition Education Parent meetings held at each site.  The UMass staff will also present a workshop on “MyPyrmaid for Preschoolers” with a focus on picky eaters. One grand prize recipe contest winner will be selected from the 9 site winners and their recipe will be served on the Head Start menu in May to all the Head Start Children. A long term goal of this project is to create a recipe book with recipes submitted by Head Start parents with healthy, easy and cost effective recipes that families will love to make and enjoy! 

Nutrition: Self Help Head Start: Literacy Fair:  Brockton

UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program will be holding a food and fitness event at the annual Self Help Head Start Program Literacy Fair held at the Shelton Head Start Site on Tuesday, March 23 from 3:30-5:30pm.  The UMass Extension event will offer fun, family nutrition and fitness activities, games, healthy snacks and nutrition reading opportunities.  Healthy food demonstrations will also presented with a focus on grains. For more information on this program please contact Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475. 

Self Help Head Start; CHOICES program

UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program staff in collaboration with Self Help Head Start will be offering the UMass Extension, Nutrition Education Curriculum Workshops “CHOICES” to Self Help Head Start Parents in a series of 4, two hour lessons during the months of March and April. This comprehensive nutrition education program is designed to help families stretch their food dollar on healthier foods.  All workshops will be held at the Self Help head Start Shelton Site in the Parent Room, 370 Howard Street in Brockton.  For registration call Andrea Gulezian at 508-513-3475.

 Participants will receive the following:

• 2 Personal Diet Diagnostic Reports, which will assess your present diet for nutrients and calories against the recommendations.  One will be provided at enrollment and one will be provided at graduation
• Eight lessons on living a healthier and more cost – conscious lifestyle for you and your family
• Recipes that will be prepared and tasted in 2 lessons
• A Certificate of Graduation and UMass Extension Cookbook (for those completing)

Lessons and Dates: 

     Thursday, March 25 from 9:30-11:30

      Moving to the Mambo; Becoming more active 

     Whole-Grain Twist; Eating more whole grains 

     Thursday, April 1 from 9:30-11:30:

     Fruit and Veggie Salsa; Adding color to your life

     Low-Fat Limbo; Choosing lower fat foods 

     Thursday, April 8 from 9:30-11:30:

     Food Safety 4-step; Keeping food safe

     Kitchen Calypso; Being a wise shopper 

    Thursday, April 15 from 9:30-11:30

    Foods A Go-Go; Making healthier choices

    Graduation and Certificate 

Career Works:

UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program, Dietetic Interns from Framingham State College, in collaboration with CareerWorks will be offering the UMass Extension, Nutrition Education Program Curriculum Workshops, and “CHOICES” to CareerWorks clients in a series of 4, two hour lessons during the month of April. This comprehensive nutrition program is designed to help families stretch their food dollar on healthier foods. All workshops will be held at CareerWorks, 34 School Street, Mezzanine, Brockton in the Minute Man Room. For registration call CareerWorks at 508-513-3400 and for more information call Andrea at 508-513-3475.

 Participants will receive the following:

• 2 Personal Diet Diagnostic Reports, which will assess your present diet for nutrients and calories against the recommendations.  One will be provided at enrollment and one will be provided at graduation
• Eight lessons on living a healthier and more cost – conscious lifestyle for you and your family
• Recipes that will be prepared and tasted in 2 lessons
• A Certificate of Graduation and UMass Extension Cookbook (for those completing)

Lessons and Dates:

     Thursday April 8 from 10-noon:

      Moving to the Mambo; becoming more active 

     Whole-Grain Twist; Eating more whole grains 

     Friday, April 9 from 10-noon:

     Fruit and Veggie Salsa; Adding color to your life

     Low-Fat Limbo; Choosing lower fat foods 

     Thursday, April 15 from 10-noon:

     Food Safety 4-step; Keeping food safe

     Kitchen Calypso; Being a wise shopper 

    Friday, April 16 from 10-noon

    Foods A Go-Go; Making healthier choices

    Graduation and Certificate