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'Farm to You' exhibit teaches children about agriculture and healthOklahoma
Oklahoma school children will soon be able to learn about how the foods they eat get from the farm to their dinner table and how this food is used for good health. "Farm to You" is an interactive, walk-through display geared toward kindergarten through 6th grade students. The exhibit features nine stations that take the students from the farm, to the market and through the body. "Farm to You" recently was unveiled to stakeholders, donors and supporters at a special presentation in Oklahoma City. The exhibit is a collaborative effort of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, 4-H, family and consumer sciences and agricultural education programs, Oklahoma State University department of nutritional sciences, Oklahoma State Department of Health WIC services and Southwest Dairy Farmers. Deana Hildebrand, Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist, said it is important for children to know where food comes from and how their food choices are related to their health. Poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles among Oklahoma's youth indicate the need to educate children on the importance of eating healthy and being physically active. "The importance of the information available in this exhibit can be found in the major health issues prevalent in our target audience," Hildebrand said. "Children in kindergarten through 6th grade don't normally consume enough fruits and vegetables. They often have excessive calorie consumption and low physical activity levels which contribute to being overweight. This age group also has a high prevalence of dental decay, low consumption of milk and dairy foods and high rate of smoking among adolescent and teens. Being overweight as a child increases the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. Eating habits and lifestyle practices develop early in life, so it's important to promote a healthy lifestyle at an early age. And the Farm to You exhibit does just that." The nine stations that make up the agricultural and health adventure include Cheeseburger Farm, To Market, Healthy Cool Café, Mouth, Stomach, Small Intestine, Muscle, Bone and Skin. Students will spend about six minutes at each station participating in activities and learning about the relationships between agriculture, food and health. Diana Romano serves at the coordinator for Farm to You and she said the exhibit is ready to start traveling around the state. "Any school that wants to have the exhibit should contact their local Cooperative Extension office first," Romano said. "The county office then contacts me and I schedule it." The school must have a 40-foot by 40-foot space available, at least eight volunteers to set it up and take it down, and nine volunteers to be station presenters. Ideally the school should have between 300 and 450 students available to walk through the exhibit. "Many children don't know where food comes from and how their food choices are related to their health," Hildebrand said. "This exciting adventure will help Oklahoma children make this connection." More information about Farm to You is available at www.farmtoyou.okstate.edu, or by calling Romano at 405-713-1125, ext. 2122, or by e-mail at diana.romano@okstate.edu. 10/6/08 Date: 9/26/08 Advertisement
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