The purpose of the CWC Nutrition Grant Program is to assist individuals and institutions in teaching whole foods nutrition to children, expectant mothers, and other similar groups. Each year, the program awards qualifying organizations with a grant of $1,000 each to assist them in their educational endeavors.
Combining Knowledge with Practical Application
Kelly Macauley, Department Chair and Lead Teacher of Neshaminy School District's Family & Consumer Science (FCS) Department, recently helped bring a new elective course to her district entitled, "Nutrition: Fitness for Life". The class has been designed to combine nutrition and food science theory with practical, collaborative, and healthful food preparation, taste testing, and laboratory experimentation. The goal of the program is to encourage high school students to improve their own nutrition and that of their future families by making educated behavioral changes to healthier food alternatives.
Macauley's rich understanding of the science behind food provided inspiration for developing the unique program, which combines practical, hands-on learning about healthy food preparation with scientific inquiry and evaluation. As opposed to simply learning the facts about nutrition, students will learn to prepare and sample healthful meals and compare and contrast those meals to what they currently eat.
The corresponding science lab for the class allows students to learn how and why organic and inorganic nutrients react the way they do depending on how foods are prepared. By observing how delicate nutrients are harmed during commercial processing, students will be able to see for themselves why it is preferable to prepare fresh food themselves as much as possible. The course also instructs students how to prepare healthy meals quickly, efficiently, and affordably.
Students will also spread the message about the importance of good nutrition and health by preparing daily nutrition commercials that will be aired during the school's televised morning news program as well as visual advertisements for posting in school hallways. With a student population exceeding 3,000, the entire school is sure to be positively impacted by the program.
Lack of Funding Threatens Program
After years of dedicated persistence, Macauley and her team were able to get this nutrition course approved by the district. More than 125 students enrolled in the class for the 2009-2010 school year. This number was very high, considering it was the first year that the course was being offered.
However, budget constraints and the overwhelming enrollment numbers proved to be too much for the available funding. In order to retain the integrity of the course and have it taught the way in which it was intended, Macauley sought out additional sources of funding to keep the class alive and make use of Neshaminy High School's brand new facility which houses six state-of-the-art kitchens.
Recognizing that it has been a tough year for many, we empathize with Macauley and others who are struggling to keep their programs active in spite of economic turmoil. We are honored and privileged to be able to support the valiant efforts of Macauley and her team by providing them with a $1,000 grant to help them maintain their vital new endeavor.
How They Will Use the Funds
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Students enrolled in the class have been learning about a new "super food" each week by sampling foods such as coconut, broccoli, and black beans and learning how to use them in various recipes. Macauley has also been showing students how to make healthier versions of foods they already enjoy, including whole-wheat, reduced-sugar cookies.
With the grant funds, she plans to purchase additional food supplies to teach them how to make things like vegetarian pizza, homemade frozen yogurt, and spinach salads. She will also expand the variety of available foods for them to learn about and sample to include things like avocado, walnuts, exotic berries, and whole grains like barley and bulgur.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the program will be the food science experiments. If funding permits, Macauley plans to teach students how to prepare fresh food through food science experiments. This will include yeast fermentation methods to produce whole grain breads, emulsification procedures to make salad dressings, oxidation protocols for antioxidants, and culture techniques for making yogurt.
Macauley believes that all schools have a responsibility to teach their students about the relationship between nutrition, health, and longevity. She also recognizes the importance of good nutrition in maintaining health and preserving longevity. These ideals, combined with her dedication to educating the next generation about them, are why we wholeheartedly support her program.
For more information about the Neshaminy School District and the nutrition pilot program, please visit www.neshaminy.org. We hope you will enjoy observing the progress of the program throughout the year as regular updates are posted on the website as well.
Once again, we at the CWC would like to congratulate both Kelly Macauley and the Neshaminy School District for winning one of this year's grants! We are excited about the program and look forward to seeing the positive impact it has in the lives of your students.
Learn more about the CWC nutrition grant program at: http://www.consumerwellness.org/NutritionalGrantProgram.html
About Consumer Wellness Center
The Consumer Wellness Center (http://www.ConsumerWellness.org) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on educational initiatives that empower consumers with knowledge and wisdom on disease prevention, nutrition, peak mental and physical health and natural health modalities. The center sells no vitamins, supplements, foods or medical products, and earns no commissions
from the sale of such products.
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