2004 Campus-Community Partnerships
Integrating Technology and Garden-Based Nutrition Education
in Schools
- A UCLA Outreach
| Awardee: | Dr. Robert Krochmal, MD >Medicine/UCLA Center for Human Nutrition |
| Partner: | Proyecto Jardin/Central City Action Committee |
Abstract:
The UCLA Center for Human Nutrition (CHN) and community partner Proyecto JardÃn (a neighborhood based garden) propose to develop and implement an innovative model for nutrition education. By integrating technology and garden-based learning, students at Bridge Street Elementary School will learn about nutrition and health, ethnobotany, ecosystems and sustainable agriculture. Research will address the association between food security status and health disparities such as obesity among low income, predominately Latino youth. A DVD will be produced and video clips will be utilized in an English and Spanish website for the project. The website will be linked to an online curriculum applicable to the district at large. UCLA medical students will be offered an elective in Complementary and Alternative Medicine focusing on the healing properties of plants as food and medicine. Their final project will involve health workshops with the elementary school students. Plants grown in the garden will be analyzed at the CHN's phytonutrient laboratory for nutrient and medicinal content. Pre- and post- intervention surveys will determine the impact of this project by evaluating students nutritional habits, acquisition of academic knowledge, and attitudes toward school, environment and community. Future projects may include broad based community food assessments and interventions.
