Community Nutrition final project

The
Parent’s
Food
School

Assignment 3
Happy Heart Farm: The Food School
Our project aims to educate parents in the community of the
importance of The Food School being a part of their children’s education.
The goal of the project is to raise awareness and support for the Food
School in order to expand the program to beneficially impact children and
family lifestyle.
Carrie Nickel, Kara Lechtenberg and Mia Matthews
FSHN 451: Community Nutrition
November 20, 2015
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Short Title: 50 characters or less Page 2 of 36
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Team & Work Distribution
Team Members, Team Leader
Work Distribution/Plan to Accomplish Team Project
Community Partner
Context: Target Audience & Community Description
Problem Statement, Project Purpose & Brief Description
Problem Statement
Project Purpose
Description of Proposed Project
Behavior Change Theory & Research Basis
Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) Definition
SCT Constructs Selected for This Project & Rationale
Research Basis
Lesson Plan Table
Evaluation Table
Logic Model
Presentation
Summary of Findings
Reflection
Acknowledgments
References
Appendices
Appendix 1: Newsletter
Appendix 2: Lesson 1: Composting- completing the Cycle
Appendix 3: Pre survey
Appendix 4: Post Survey

TEAM & WORK DISTRIBUTION
TEAM
MEMBERS,
TEAM
LEADER

1. Carrie Nickel- Team Leader
2. Mia Matthews
3. Kara Lechtenberg
WORK
DISTRIBUTION/PLAN
TO
ACCOMPLISH
TEAM
PROJECT

Mia was responsible for editing the Lesson Plan from project 2. For project 3 she
was responsible for the Summary of Findings, Reflection and Acknowledgements
sections. Carrie edited the Logic Model from project 2 and completed the table for
project 3. She also collaborated with Kara and reviewed the Evaluation Table, the Logic
Model and edited the Summary of Findings and Reflection. Kara was in charge of the
logic model and edited the Summary of Findings and Reflection. Kara was in charge of
the overall editing of project 2, as well as reviewing Carrie and Mia’s content. Kara also
further developed the post survey and added the pre and post survey to the
appendices. Kara edited and completed the Evaluation Table. Carrie and Kara
collaborated to edit the final document and ensure the content was completed.
COMMUNITY PARTNER
Our community partner, Happy Heart Farm, is based on the idea of being a
“community supporting agriculture”.1
It practices Biodynamic Farming, which aims to be
self-sufficient in compost, manures and animal feeds.1
The farm is centered on the

deeply personal relationship between farmer and farm. It is involved as the overarching
non-profit organization for a few events and programs in Fort Collins. One of these is
the Food School which is the program our project is centered around.1
They have a
simple mission, which is to “connect children to the sources of their food and the
community members who grow it” (Jennifer Todd, September 24, 2015). It is a new
program developed by its founder’s, Jennifer Todd and Julie Reed, follows an
experiential curriculum for grades K-5. The Food School curriculum involves engaging,
educating, and empowering students to work hands on in the school garden. This
paired with lessons based on PSD education requirements for science and wellness
helps students discover where their food comes from, why it matters, and how their food
choices can affect their health, environment, and community.2
The new program is
currently only implemented at Olander Elementary School which is a part of the Poudre
School District (PSD) in Fort Collins (Jennifer Todd, September 24, 2015). Jennifer
Todd and Julie Reed hope that PSD will support the Food School after its experiential
implementation in Olander and will be a curriculum taught in all the schools within PSD.
CONTEXT: TARGET AUDIENCE & COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), child obesity rates have more than doubled in children and quadrupled in
adolescents in the last 30 years.3
Currently the national obesity rate for children ages
12-19 is 21%3
compared to Colorado which has an obesity rate for children ages 10-17
of 10.9%4
. Although Colorado has a lower rate than the national level, it is still a high
rate considering over 1 in every 10 children ages 10-17 in our state is obese.4
If the

problem of increasing obesity rates in Colorado and in the United States is not
addressed children are more susceptible to obesity related diseases later in life. Those
who are obese at a younger age are also more likely to be obese as adults; therefore,
these health concerns become long term illnesses. For example, heart disease, type 2
diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer and osteoarthritis are all health problems
associated with obesity which can ultimately lead to death if not addressed properly.3
Children need to be taught about the importance of a healthy lifestyle in schools
to help them create a healthy sustainable lifestyle to prevent obesity. The Happy Heart
Farms program, the Food School, aims to give children this education. Through its
curriculum, it provides students with guidelines to live a healthier lifestyle. The program
encourages the kids to get personally involved in growing their own fruits and
vegetables via interactive lessons in their school garden. The Food School’s target
audience is children (K-5), parents and the community in Larimer County. It is essential
the Food School reaches out to all three groups of people because each person’s
support is important in making the program functional in schools.
The community is responding well to the Food School’s mission because in the
last decade there has been an increased interest in wellness. In addition there is
increased interest in the importance of locally grown, natural food which is indicated by
the increased number of local gardens and farms.5
This is evidence by the fact that Fort
Collins has 29 CSAs, most of these farms sell most of their crops to CSA members and
distribute to retail stores.6
At this point, all 50 states have Farm to School programs
however only 35 states have made mandatory programs.4
Unfortunately, these
programs only cover select students and schools across America due to lack of

availability of resources and funding. Many schools in Colorado have Farm to School
programs, especially Weld County District 6 and Colorado Springs district 11.7
These
two districts have had very positive outcomes with their programs, serving many
students local, and natural food. In research reported on the stateofObesty.org, it
indicates that “farm-to-school programs have shown results in improving students'
nutritional intake. For example, a study by researchers at the University of California,
Davis found that farm-to-school programs not only increase consumption of fruits and
vegetables, but actually change eating habits, leading students to choose healthier
options at lunch”.4
Many schools in Colorado have gardens which are a great resource
to utilize to implement nutrition programs. Unfortunately there are not many Food
Schools to help make this happen. The Food School in Larimer County is trying to
bridge this gap however funding is lacking. It takes approximately $10,000 per school to
run a Food School program and Poudre School District schools only have a budget of
$500 to focus on health and wellness (Jennifer Todd, 9/24/2015). An increased
awareness of the importance and need for this program would impact the amount of
funding PSD would attribute to the Food School’s impactful wellness education
program.
PROBLEM STATEMENT, PROJECT PURPOSE & BRIEF
DESCRIPTION
PROBLEM
STATEMENT

Colorado was once praised for being the healthiest state in the United States
because it was one of the few states with an obesity rate below 20%.4
Unfortunately this

is no longer the case; in the last decade the obesity rate in Colorado has substantially
grown which is especially concerning among children. In the span of 2003 to 2007,
Colorado’s childhood obesity national ranking drastically dropped from the third leanest
to twenty third.8
Now 23% of Colorado children ages 2-14 are overweight and obese,8
which puts these children at a higher risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma and
other obesity related diseases.4
The childhood obesity rates in Colorado are less severe
than those nationally; but are increasing steadily similar to the obesity problem
nationwide. The appearance of obesity among children nationwide jumped from 5% to
17% in only 30 years.8
Larimer County has not released childhood obesity rates among
elementary aged children; however, the 3.5% rise in obesity rates within 6 years among
adults indicates the trend is similar in children within the community.9
The childhood
obesity problem is becoming more severe which is also increasing the prevalence of
diseases associated with obesity that will stress the health care system and decrease
life expectancy. The issue requires action locally and nationally. These growing obesity
rates among children can be correlated to a lack of nutrition and wellness education in
the Colorado school systems. Poudre School District, in Larimer County, puts an
emphasis on promoting student, staff and community wellness. However, this is a rarity
among school districts in Colorado and the United States where student health is not a
stressed aspect of the education requirements. The minimal amount of importance
placed on wellness education in K-5 curriculum may be a cause of higher risk of obesity
and diseases related to obesity. Poudre school district can act as a model to
demonstrate with an implementation of a wellness education program, such as the Food

School, and a focus on promoting children’s health it is possible to prevent rising obesity
rates and improve children’s overall health.
PROJECT
PURPOSE

At this point, dietary requirements for school meals have been improving since
2010, when President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.10
However,
there is an insufficient amount of education associated with teaching healthy behavior. It
is vital that public schools begin to implement new programs to educate children on the
importance of a healthy lifestyle. Happy Heart Farms has developed a Food School
which utilizes a hands-on farm focused curriculum to teach children the importance of
knowing where food comes from and what food is best to promote health. The program
impacts children’s eating behaviors by teaching students the difference between natural
and processed food. One goal of the Food School is to teach children a healthy lifestyle
in which they can continue to follow throughout their life. If this goal of the program is
achieved it has the potential to decrease the childhood obesity rates in the community.
In addition, the program curriculum can be implemented in more schools within
Colorado to expand the Food School’s impact on children’s lifestyle choices. In order to
make these impacts, the program needs more awareness to widen its scope and
impact. The overall goal of our group is to implement a program to educate parents
about the importance of incorporating a wellness program in elementary education. Our
hope is that the more parents and other schools learn about the beneficial Food School
program, the more they will desire and demand to have wellness education be a part of
their children’s education. If the Food School was incorporated into the curriculum at

every school in PSD it may greatly impact children’s and family’s lifestyle towards
healthier habits which in turn may improve the overall health of the community.
DESCRIPTION
OF
PROPOSED
PROJECT

The project we will be working on for the Food School will focus on educating
parents of the importance of the wellness program. We will develop content to inform
parents about the Food School. For this project we will focus primarily on educating
third grade parents at Olander about the Food School and the specific lesson topic
discussed in their children’s classroom. In addition, we will include ideas for how
parents can reinforce these lessons at home; these will serve as calls to action to the
parent to practice a healthier lifestyle for their children. Due to the fact that the Food
School lessons are over for the season, we will only be sending out one newsletter both
electronically and in third grade students Friday folders. The newsletter will include an
overview of all the lessons the third graders learned this fall: what composting is, how it
affects our food via the soil and what is compostable and not compostable. We will
relate these Food School lessons to ways parents can enhance the lesson at home and
increase child and family intake of fruits and vegetable. This project will test the parent’s
acceptance and effectiveness of incorporating home learning. We hope as parents learn
more about the Food School through this newsletter, it will increase support and
awareness of the program which would ideally help expand the program to other
schools and become more sustainable. Jennifer Todd’s vision for the Food School is to
have the program and a garden incorporated in every school in PSD and the lessons to
be taught by the teachers with her support as an overseer. This project is designed to

help work towards this goal and expand the Food School’s beneficial impact on the
community.

BEHAVIOR CHANGE THEORY & RESEARCH BASIS
SOCIAL
COGNITIVE
THEORY
(SCT)
DEFINITION

Social cognitive theory (SCT) is a physiological model of behavior which is used to
understand how behavioral learning and change occurs. . A key concept in SCT is
reciprocal determinism, which describes the interaction of the person, the behavior, and
the environment in which the behavior is performed. The dynamic interactions between
these factors reveal that learning occurs in a social context and is gained through
observation. SCT is composed of several constructs that each contribute to a person’s
behavior. These constructs include: environment, self regulation, behavioral capability,
expectations, self efficacy, observational learning and reinforcement. All of these
components used to assess behavior change in SCT have corresponding intervention
strategies to promote it overall. SCT aims to determine the primary components to
assess that will be utilized to determine the appropriate behavior intervention to
implement behavior change.11
SCT
CONSTRUCTS
SELECTED
FOR
THIS
PROJECT
&
RATIONALE

The SCT constructs the parent education program aims to target include behavioral
capability and self-efficacy. The behavioral capacity construct involves providing tools,
resources or environmental changes to enable a new behavior to be easily performed.11
Our project will offer parents a newsletter with information about the Food School, a
specific lesson and how they can effortlessly further their child’s nutrition education
outside of the classroom. The self-efficacy construct focuses on increasing an

individual’s confidence or belief that they have the ability to perform a given behavior.11
Our project will provide parents with the resources needed to properly facilitate behavior
change, confidently and effectively, in themselves and their children. The resource we
will supply the parents is a newsletter that will break down behavior change into small,
measurable steps through “calls-to-action” that the parents can simply understand and
utilize.
RESEARCH
BASIS

**Complete this table for two selected research studies that support your project design**
Citation
AMA format required;
include a copy of each
complete article with your
electronic submission.
Setting &
Participants
Intervention description
(include Social Cognitive
Theory constructs)
Evaluation
strategies (include
how SCT
constructs were
measured)
Describe study finding
relevant to your proje
outcomes
Perry C, Bishop D, Taylor G et
al. Changing fruit and
vegetable consumption among
children: the 5-a-Day Power
Plus program in St. Paul,
Minnesota. Am J Public
Health. 1998;88(4):603-609.
doi:10.2105/ajph.88.4.603.12
The study consisted
of a randomized
school-based trial
conducted in 20
elementary schools in
St. Paul. The study
aimed to targeted a
multiethnic group of
4th
and 5th
grade
children and their
parents.
The 5-a-Day multi
component school based
intervention program was
guided by social cognitive
(learning) theory and prior
research on changing
children’s dietary
behavior. The intervention
consisted of behavioral
curricula in classrooms,
parental
involvement/education,
school food service
changes, and industry
support and involvement.
The curricula included
sixteen 40 to 45 minute
classroom sessions
implemented twice a week
for 8 weeks. The parental
involvement
program consisted of 5
information/activity
packets and 4 snack packs
that students brought
home. Constructs
utilized:
Behavior Capability: The
curriculum implemented
Random students
were chosen for
school lunchroom
observations and 24
hour diet recalls
which measured
food consumption
and evaluated
intervention
effectiveness of
curriculum on
increasing student’s
consumption of
fruits and
vegetables.
(Behavior
Capability,
Environmental and
Observational
Learning)
Parent telephone
surveys were used
to assess parental
involvement and
effectiveness of
intervention on
increasing parental
involvement and
influencing
Study found that the
intervention increased
fruit and vegetable
consumption overall in
students and that a multi
component school-based
program like this can
increase likelihood of
healthy food (fruits &
vegetables) consumption
among children. The
study also found that
parental knowledge,
involvement, and active
participation in the
program at home
improved children’s frui
and vegetable
consumption.

skill-building, problem
solving activities, snack
preparation, and taste
testing; 4th
grade parents
and students participated
in activities provided in
packets.
Observational Learning:
The curriculum introduced
new role models in the
form of comic books and
adventure stories; parent
involvement in activities
at home also served as
positive role models.
Reinforcement: The
students were rewarded
with small prizes on
individual and team basis
depending on fruit and
vegetable consumption.
Also, students were
entered into drawing if
they completed activities
at home.
Self-efficacy: The parents
were provided with
necessary information in
packets which causes them
to feel more confident
with the information.
Environment: There was
an emphasis for parental
involvement in increasing
fruit and vegetable
consumption; fruits &
vegetables made to look
more appealing at school
lunches
Self-regulation: The
parents and children were
regulated by being
encouraged to participate
in home activities and
being asked to report back
about it.
children’s food
choices. (Self
efficacy and
Observational
Learning) Health
Behavior
Questionnaires
were administered
to students at
baseline and follow-
up to the program.
(Behavioral
Capability) Mixed-
model regression
procedures were
used in analyzing
data on students
food consumption
over time
(Reinforcement).
Martin-Biggers J,
Spaccarotella K, Delaney C,
Koeings M, Alleman G,
Hongu N, Worobey J, and
Byrd-Bredbenner C.
Development of the
Intervention Materials for the
HomeStyles Obesity
The study took place
in Arizona and New
Jersey. The target
population for the
study consisted of
parents with
preschool aged
children. The study
Researchers
developed “HomeStyles
intervention” instructional
materials which were
comprised of 12 brief
guides. Each guide
focused on strategies
parents could use to shape
Environmental
Factor:
The parents were
given 12
instructional guides
to use as guidelines
and reference in the
home. The parents
The study found that
parents and home visito
found these guides to be
informative and helpful.
This was seen through th
parent survey where the
received above a 4.5 out
of 5 for likelihood of

Prevention Program for
Parents of Preschool.
Nutrients. 2015 Aug; 7 (8):
6628-6669
doi:10.3390/nu7085301.13
consisted of in home
intervention. A total
of 39 Home Visitors
and 92 English-
speaking and 120
Spanish-speaking
parents participated in
the Content Cognitive
Testing which
reviewed the written
content provided in
the guides. For the
Design Cognitive
Testing which
evaluated the design
of the design of the
guides, 120 English-
speaking and 121
Spanish-speaking
parents as well as 20
home visitation staff
members participated.
one aspect of the home
environment and lifestyle.
Many of these guides
pertained to nutrition,
physical activity and
knowledge on how
children mirror parent’s
behavior.
Constructs Utilized:
Environmental Factors:
The parents were provided
with the Homestyle guides
as a resource to utilize at
home which improved the
resources they had in the
home environment.
Behavioral Capacity:
The parents were given
the knowledge, tips and
ways to perform these new
behaviors via the
Homestyle guides.
were asked to take a
survey to measure
how useful these
guides were and
assess parental
comprehension of
the guide topics. On
the surveys parents
indicated that the
guides were “very
useful,”
“informative,” and
“logical.”
Behavior
Capability: Parents
were given support
by families
collaborating and
sharing ideas about
how to perform a
behavior. The
Homestyle guide
provided the
knowledge and
information which
was enhanced with
families sharing
skills. For example
peers of the parents
stated: “Here’s how
families who use
positive feeding
practices say they
do it…”
In feedback,
“Parents
appreciated the
inclusion of tips and
ideas from other
parents who had
successfully
adopted healthy
behaviors.”
Improving practices,
clarity, relevancy readin
level, interest level and
usefulness. The guides
emphasized factors that
parents could easily
change and were low co
to the home environmen
This helped parents feel
as though they could
make changes to improv
the home environment.
The study linked these
changes with creating an
maintaining a healthier
lifestyle for children and
the whole family.

LESSON PLAN TABLE
Specific 2010 Dietary or 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans emphasized:
Increase vegetable and fruit intake. Eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark- green
and red and orange vegetables and beans and peas.
**Complete this table for each lesson developed**
Lesson Title Social Cognitive
Theory Constructs
Nutrition or Activity
Message(s)
Learning Objectives Learning Activities Instructional Materials
The lesson developed
for third grade parents
is aimed at teaching
them about the Food
School, composting,
and why composting
and eating fresh
vegetables and fruits
is essential.
Behavioral capacity-
This SCT construct
will be integrated into
the lesson through the
newsletter. The
newsletter will be a
beneficial material
that will communicate
the lesson message
and main objective to
parents. The
newsletter will
provide parents with
the necessary
information they will
need to assist in
facilitating behavior
change in the home
environment. The
construct will be
evaluated in the
survey by asking
parents if the
information provided
in the newsletter was
informative, if they
would reference it at a
later time and whether
or not they have any
ideas or suggestions
that could improve it.
Self Efficacy- This
SCT construct will be
incorporated into the
lesson to empower
parents and provide
them with the
confidence to make
an impact on their
child’s behavior and
enhance their
education. This will
be done in the
newsletter by
explaining to parents
the purpose of the
newsletter: to assist
them with
1. Focus centered
around eating more
fruits and vegetables
and incorporating
them as staples in the
parents and their
child’s diet.
2. Encourage the
parents to inform their
children of the
importance of
consuming vegetables
that are grown
naturally, such as in
The Food School
garden, as well as
influencing them to
do so.
After reading the
Food School
newsletter that is
contains nutritional
and gardening
information for third
grade parents, 80% of
participants will
demonstrate
appropriate
knowledge of
information provided
in the newsletter and
feel confident in their
abilities to influence
and shape their
children’s behavior.
Parents will influence
their children of the
importance of eating
more fruits and
vegetables and a
variety of natural,
organically grown
fruits and vegetables.
This will be measured
by an online survey.
Anchor: The anchor
is discussing the
parent’s desire to be
a part of their child’s
education and being
an impact on the
community.
Add: We will
introduce new
information about
composting and how
it connects to the
fresh fruits and
vegetables.
Apply: This
construct consists of
asking the learner to
apply their
knowledge.
Unfortunately with
the timing of the
Food School lessons
it was not possible to
observe the parent’s
application of their
knowledge. We will
ask parents to apply
or actively think
about how to apply
changes by stating in
the newsletter, “As
you read this
newsletter, think
about things you can
discuss and teach
your children to
reinforce the lessons
of the Food School
and encourage eating
more fruits and
vegetables”
Away- Parents
should take away the
fruits and vegetables
and how to
incorporate them
into their children’s
1. We are currently in
the process of
developing a
newsletter which will
serve as both the
lesson and
instructional material
for the third grade
parents. Unfortunately
our newsletter is not
complete because
obtaining lesson plans
from the Food School
to use as reference
took longer than
expected. A rough
outline of the Food
School Newsletter can
be found in appendix
1.
2. We utilized three of
the lesson plans which
Jennifer Todd has
taught the third grade
students this fall. Each
lesson plan had the
same background
information about
composting which was
the main material we
used to write a
summary of what the
children learned and to
write “calls to action”
for the parents. One
lesson plan with all the
essential background
information utilized
can be seen in
appendix 2.

successfully
facilitating behavior
change and
encouraging their
children to eat
healthier.
In addition, self
efficacy will be
included by giving the
parents manageable
and simple ways to
reinforce the lessons
children learned at the
Food School. This
construct will be
evaluated in the
survey by asking
parents how confident
they feel with the new
information and in
reinforcing these
lessons with their
children.
diet. In addition,
parents should take
away how to
encourage their
children to eat these
healthier food
options. These take
away concepts will
be evaluated in an
online survey.
EVALUATION TABLE
Process Evaluation (these are measures
that will tie to the activities and
participants you outlined in your logic
model)
Impact Evaluation (these tie to the
learning objectives, behavioral
intent, skill demonstrations, etc.,
listed in your lesson plan table and
short term outcomes in your logic
model)
Outcome Evaluation
medium term outco
model).
Definition (include
reference)
A process evaluation monitors the
progress of a program. It provides
an analysis of the effectiveness of
an implementation program.
Typically data collection
mechanisms are used to determine if
the program is being effective or
not. The process evaluation is an
important tool to utilize because it
ensures the program is achieving its
goals to correct the determined
problem.
It enables evaluators to assess the
quality of implementation which is
vital information when trying to
maximize the programs benefits. In
some cases, process evaluations also
explain why certain results were
achieved.14
The impact evaluation shows the
effect of an intervention
program on the biological
outcomes that were defined as
the objectives of the program. In
this context, impact is defined as
the difference of outcome
measures that are a result of the
intervention. An impact
evaluation measures how
effective the implementation
was in changing the target
populations attitude, awareness
and behavior. An impact
evaluation can determine
whether or not to continue the
program, expand or reduce the
size, or to implement it
elsewhere. The impact
The outcome evalua
determine the feasib
effectiveness of the
intervention. It com
and after the progra
implemented to dete
program was effecti
desired outcome. Th
if the implementatio
effective and feasib
However the evalua
measures changes a
determine a cause a
relationship between
and outcome.
An outcome evaluat
measure to show wh
program that was im
effective in making

evaluation is an important
measure to show if the program
is reaching its desired and
determined biological behavioral
outcomes.15
the population.16
Specific purpose of each type
of evaluation for our project
The process evaluation for the
parent Food School implementation
program will show the effectiveness
of the program based on how many
parents read the newsletter and
complete the survey. The survey
will show us if the parent feel
confident in utilizing the
information in the newsletter to
achieve the desired outcome of the
program.
Our impact evaluation will show
whether or not the parent Food
School is a beneficial
implementation to continue
concurrently with the Food
School. Specifically, it will
indicate how impactful the
newsletter was in getting parents
to utilize the information and
influence their children’s food
choices.
The outcome evalua
the Food School new
effective in making
of increasing fruit a
intake among paren
children. It will mea
children are eating m
vegetables due to in
parent Food School
1 to 3 4-part objectives for
each type of evaluation
(action, population, measure
of success, time frame)
We will ask parents to fill out a survey
after reading the newsletter, the survey
asks five questions to determine if the
parents will utilize the information.
We will ask parents to fill out a
survey after reading the newsletter;
the survey asks two questions about
parent’s feelings towards impacting
children’s eating behaviors.
50% of parents will
child’s fruit and veg
per day by one serv
Method/s used to measure
each objective for each type
of evaluation
5 questions in pre survey and post
survey (questions included in appendix 3
and 4)
2 questions in pre survey and post
survey (questions included in
appendix 3 and 4)
Pre survey and post
regarding amount o
intake (number of se
Summary of actual results
OR expected results from
each type of evaluation
method described above
(theoretical)
Results from the pre survey will show
50% of parents indicating that they will
utilize the calls to actions at home.
Results from the post survey will show
35% of parents actually executed
utilizing the calls to action at home.
(theoretical)
Results from the pre survey will
show 50% of parents feel confident
empowering change in their child’s
eating behaviors. Post survey will
show 60% of parents feeling
confident at implementing behavior
change in their children. The
percentage will increase because
after parents attempt the “calls to
action” at home they will feel more
comfortable with the information.
(theoretical)
Results from the pre
most parents and ch
servings per day. Re
survey will show m
children are eating m
of fruits and vegetab
parents will increase
fruit and vegetable i
per day.

LOGIC MODEL
Inputs
Outputs Impact -- O
Activities Participation Short Me
What was invested by
you & others?
Time- We will invest
time developing content
for the newsletter and a
recipe for intervention.
In addition it took time
to develop a research
base about the context
of the project and the
constructs of the SCT
which show a benefit of
in home activities to
increase fruit and
vegetable consumption.
Materials- We relied
heavily on technology
for the project. The
newsletter and the
survey will be sent out
electronically. However,
we will use paper to
send home a hard copy
of the newsletter with
the third graders.
What did you do?
1.Compose a
newsletter
2.Develop a relevant
recipe for the
newsletter
3.Create calls to action
for the parents to do
with their children at
home
4.Assessment of the
project effectiveness
via an online survey
and paper survey
5.Partner with The
Food School
Who did you reach?
We reached the
parents of the 3rd
grade classes at
Olander Elementary
School.
What did they learn?
What were their
immediate changes?
After reading the Food
School newsletter that
is accompanied with
nutritional and
gardening messages,
we hope the parents
will learn the
more and a variety of
fruits and vegetables as
measured by an online
survey. It will be
challenging to asses
immediate changes
because they are
changes that will be
implemented at home.
In the survey questions
include knowledge
assessment as well as
behavior change
assessment measured
by asking parents their
attitude toward the
Food School, if they
found the information
useful and if they will
implement the “calls to
action”.
(Refer to appendix 3
and 4 to view survey)
(Impact Evaluation)
What a
(behavior
now d
Pre and pos
will be given
in order to s
overall incre
and vegetab
consumptio
post survey
able to gath
or not the p
implemente
in their hous
will be repre
the answers
questions a
implementin
to action” at
by comparin
and vegetab
consumptio
before the i
and after. W
change via
implementin
at home wh
result in an
fruits and ve
as indicated
survey.
(Refer to a
andd 4to v
(Outcome

Assumptions External Factors
The assumptions we have about the parent Food School project include that parents will
be receptive to our resource material (i.e. the newsletter) and take action incorporate it
into their life. The parents are involved in making this happen, we are involved in
providing the material to the parents and Jennifer Todd and Julie Reed are involved in
running the Food School and providing the education to the children about garden
practices and where their food comes from. We think the project will work because by
sending out materials complimenting the lessons provided at the Food School it allows
the parents to be informed what their child is learning and get involved. Additionally, we
are providing them with a resource to learn the concepts and give them the opportunity to
practice these concepts at home with the end goal that they will be increasing their fruit
and vegetable intake along with their children.
Our project exists in the home of the parents w
Olander. We provide the materials and inform
knowledge and take action in changing their li
effectiveness of the parent at receiving the ne
their likelihood to read their emails. In addition
certain families to participate in the calls to act

PRESENTATION
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
Our predicted findings to the implementation of The Parent Food School newsletter are that parent’s
active involvement will result in positively influencing their children’s eating behaviors and increasing
their consumption of fruits and vegetables. With support and assistance from the parents, we predict that
the children’s education received from the Food School will be further reinforced and engrained in the
home environment. This in turn will increase effectiveness and efficiency in accomplishing actual behavior
modification in the students and increase the likelihood of accomplishing the overarching goal of The
Food School. We administered a newsletter, which contained the information needed for parents to feel
confident in their abilities to be positive role models for effective behavior change in their children. To
measure the effectiveness of this intervention, parents were asked to complete an online survey in which
we predicted that approximately 50% of parents would increase the amount of fruits and vegetables
consumed by themselves and their children. Results from the pre and post survey will show an increase
in parent’s self efficacy to 60%. More parents will feel confident in implementing behavior change. Results
from the pre and post survey will indicate 35% of parents implemented the calls to action at home.
Throughout this experience, our team discovered how difficult it can be to develop and
implement an effective and efficient intervention program that actually results in behavior change.
We provided the parents of the third graders at Olander Elementary School with an informative
newsletter that hopefully interested them and provided them with the necessary information they
could utilize to help facilitate positive behavior change in their children. A considerable amount
was learned over the course of this experience, mainly about what exactly it might be like to work
in the field of community nutrition and how much works goes into it. We discovered that it takes a
lot of research and data analysis to actually get good quality results that are usable when
evaluating the program. Also, we all know now that this type of work involves a significant amount
of time and collaboration efforts, as we experienced with Jen and the other team members in our
group.
Some limitations we experienced with the program is that we were not able to provide
parents with multiple newsletters and therefore couldn’t collect as much useful data in the time
that we were allotted to complete the project. The time limitation, made it difficult for us to collect
as much data as we would have wanted in order to have been better able to evaluate our
program’s efficiency and effectiveness. Without enough time, we were not able to properly assess
the aspects of our program that needed to change and overall areas for improvement. Some other
limitations include some mild difficulties with communication between all of those involved in the
project as well as with our resource, the newsletter, which could not be submitted electronically to
the parents. This made it more difficult to get the newsletter out to the parents in a timely fashion
and decreased the chance that all the parents would for sure receive it in the first place. Despite
these setbacks, the newsletter did communicate our ideas well to the parents and it hopefully resulted in
small behavior changes in the parents and their children. However we believe there are a few minor
things that we would have done differently if we had had the opportunity to do so. We believe the
Parent Food School newsletter will be more effective once the newsletters are sent out more often and
immediately after the lessons are taught to the children.
The program that we got the chance to develop and the information that was revealed
through this project could be very interesting and helpful for many other individuals and groups
involved. We believe, that when the program is expanded, and more parents are reached by the
program, more parents will become involved in the program. Eventually, parents from other
schools in PSD could begin receiving and utilizing the newsletters as well. The district itself, may
look at the results of our project and realize how crucial funding for health-related education
programs is, and start allocating resources in order to get more individuals to back the program
and promote its expansion. Teachers in other schools may also be interested in the program and

what it has to offer, providing the program with even more supporters and strength to expand and
facilitate positive change in more and more children in our community.
Overall, the newsletter provided the proper nutritional information accompanied with tips and
activities that parents could utilize in order to be positive role models and influence their children to
consume more fruits and vegetables. This overarching goal of The Parent’s Food School program is
reflective of many other similar programs and efforts being made in the field of community
nutrition today.
We had a considerable amount of assistance and support from others for this project and would like to
give a special thanks to:
● Jennifer Todd & Friends of Happy Hearts Farm, our community service partner this
semester
● The Food School at Olander Elementary School and all those involved with the program
including all of the students, parents, and teachers participating in the program
● The Happy Heart Farm, specifically Dennis and Bailey Stenson for supporting The Food
School and promoting awareness of their mission and impact in the Fort Collins
community
1) Friends of Happy Heart Farm. Website. http://www.happyheartfriends.org/. (n.d.). Accessed
September 24, 2015.
2) The Food School. Website. http://focofoodschool.org/. (n.d.). Accessed September 24, 2015.

3) Childhood Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Website.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm. Updated August 27, 2015. Accessed
September 25, 2015.
4) The State of Obesity. Website. http://stateofobesity.org/states/co/. Updated 2014. Accessed
August 31, 2015.
5) National Farm to School Network. Website. http://www.farmtoschool.org/. Updated 2012.
Accessed August 31, 2015.
6) Colorado CSAs. http://coloradocsas.info/. (n.d.) Accessed August 29, 2015.
7) Colorado Farm to School. 2015. http://coloradofarmtoschool.org/get-involved/how-to-get-
started/.(n.d.) Accessed September 23, 2015.
8) Childhood Obesity Statistics. Live Well Colorado. Website.
https://livewellcolorado.org/uploads/files/2013_04_01_21_57_25_Childhood%20Obesity%20Stati
stics%20-%206.21.12.pdf. (n.d.). Accessed October 26, 2015.
9) Overweight and Obesity. Compass of Larimer County. Website.
http://www.larimer.org/compass/overweight_obesity_h_ph.htm. Updated October 24, 2011.
Accessed October 26,2015.
10) Questions & Answers on the Final Rule, “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and
School Breakfast Programs”. United States Department of Agriculture. Food and Nutrition
Service. Website. http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cn/SP10-2012v9os2.pdf. Updated
July 2015. Accessed October 26, 2015.
11) Hall E, Weiwen C, Koszewski W, Albrecht J. Development and validation of a social cognitive
theory-based survey for elementary nutrition education program. International Journal Of
Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity. April 2015;12(1):1-12.
12) Perry C, Bishop D, Taylor G et al. Changing fruit and vegetable consumption among children: the
5-a-Day Power Plus program in St. Paul, Minnesota. Am J Public Health. 1998;88(4):603-609.
doi:10.2105/ajph.88.4.603.

13) Martin-Biggers J, Spaccarotella K, Delaney C, Koeings M, Alleman G, Hongu N, Worobey J, and
Byrd-Bredbenner C. Development of the Intervention Materials for the HomeStyles Obesity
Prevention Program for Parents of Preschool. Nutrients. 2015 Aug; 7 (8): 6628-6669.
doi:10.3390/nu7085301.
14) Vlope S, Hall W, Steckler A. Process evaluation results from the healthy nutrition intervention to
modify the total school food environment. Healthy Edu Res. 2013; 28 (6): 970-978. Doi: 10.1093
15) Hoorweg J. Impact evaluation of child nutrition programs. Food Policy. 1988; 13(2): 199-207
16) Baranowski T, Davis M, Resnicow K. Gimme 5 Fruit, Juice and Health: Outcome Evaluation.
Health Educ Behav. 2000; 27(1): 96-111. Doi:10.1177

APPENDICES

APPENDIX
1:

NEWSLETTER


APPENDIX
2:

LESSON
1:
COMPOSTING-‐
COMPLETING
THE
CYCLE

Learning Targets
I can…describe the composting process
I can… wait my turn patiently and respectfully
Materials Needed
Station 1 (natural fertilizers) – coffee grounds, eggshells, coffee grinder, 5 to 6 small containers
Station 2 (compost pile) – food scraps, dry leaves, pitch fork, water
Station 3 (see thru compost container) – soil, food scraps, red wigglers, water, dry leaves, other
scraps students might try and compost, small buckets or containers
Station 4 (planting) – plant starters ready to put into the ground, trowels,
Suggested Reading: Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner
Preparation
Station 1
● ask teachers, parents to save used coffee grounds for the garden. You can add coffee
grounds to compost throughout the year, but save a bucketful for this lesson
● rinse and dry eggshells (if this doesn’t happen, no big deal since you’re not directly
digesting the eggshells which might carry salmonella)
Station 2
● ask teachers to save compost scraps for a few days, bring food scraps from home, etc…
● ask parents, teachers to bring in dry leaves they’ve saved from fall clean-up
Station 3
● in 5 separate small buckets or containers, place soil food scraps, soil with red wigglers, dry
leaves, and random compostable or non-compostable items such as paper, Styrofoam cup,
something plastic, glass, etc..
Station 4
● use either the hardy starters from your classroom or donated plants
Standards Addressed
Science
1. Earth’s materials can be broken down and/or combined into different materials such as rocks, minerals, rock
cycle, formation of soil, and sand – some of which are usable resources for human activity
a. Investigate and identify two or more ways that Earth’s materials can be broken down and/or combined in
different ways such as minerals into rocks, rock cycle, formation of soil, and sand (DOK 1-2)
Use evidence to develop a scientific explanation about one or more processes that break down and/or combine
Earth materials (DOK 1-3)
1. The duration and timing of life cycle events such as reproduction and longevity vary across organisms and
species
a. Use evidence to develop a scientific explanation regarding the stages of how organisms develop and change

over time (DOK 1-3)
Background Information
How Does Composting Work?
Composting, often described as nature’s way of recycling, is the biological process of breaking up
of organic waste such as food waste, manure, leaves, grass trimmings, paper, worms, and coffee
grounds, etc., into an extremely useful humus-like substance by various micro-organisms including
bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in the presence of oxygen.
During composting micro-organisms from the soil eat the organic (carbon-containing) waste and
break it down into its simplest parts. This produces fiber-rich, carbon-containing humus with
inorganic nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The micro-organisms break the
material down through aerobic respiration.
Through the respiration process, the micro-organisms give off carbon dioxide and heat. The more
heat generated, the faster the decomposition occurs. During the composting cycle, the contents need
to be mixed approximately weekly.
Compost is a soil conditioner, mulch and fertilizer all wrapped into one. It benefits the environment
as a natural fertilizer for gardening and farming.
http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/howdoescompostingwork/
Fertilizer
Fertilizer can be a big expense, but it doesn't have to be. Used coffee grounds and eggshells are free
and provide much-needed nutrients to the soil. By using these items in the garden, not only are
plants getting the nourishment they need, but these items will not be taking up space in a landfill.
Storing coffee grounds and eggshells in a countertop composter, plastic container or plastic bag will
prevent them from attracting bugs while you collect enough to use in the garden.
Direct Application of Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are an excellent free source of nitrogen, an element all plants need. A common
misconception about coffee grounds as a fertilizer is that it may cause problems because of high
acidity. But coffee grounds are close to neutral, with a pH between 6.5 and 6.8, making them a good
choice for all plants. Each type of plant will prefer a different amount of coffee, so start small by
adding 1 tablespoon of coffee grounds around each plant, lightly working it into the soil once a
week. Observe how your plants react and add more each week until they stop showing signs of
improvement.
Composted Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds can be used in compost like other kitchen scraps. Paper filters can be composted as
well, making coffee composting as easy as throwing it in the garbage. Combine equal parts grounds,
grass clippings and dry leaves to create simple and effective compost. Combine all ingredients and

turn the compost over with a pitchfork once a week. Depending on the outdoor temperature, the
compost should be ready to add to the garden in a few weeks.
Eggshell Tea
Eggshells are rich calcium. Without the proper amount of calcium in the soil, plants may produce
deformed blooms. You may be buying lime to prevent this problem, but eggshells are just as
effective. Store eggshells in a large container of water, adding more shells as you go. Let the
mixture steep for at least a few days or up to several weeks. Combine 1 cup eggshell tea to 1 gallon
of water and thoroughly water plants. Up to 1 gallon of the mixture can be used per plant. The added
calcium will give plants a much-needed boost through production season.
Powdered Eggshells
Powdered eggshells can be added around the base of plants as a slow-release fertilizer. This process
will benefit plants all season, and you can add it throughout the growing season. Allow eggshells to
dry, then pulse in a blender until they become a fine powder. Sprinkle around the base of each plant.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilizing-plants-coffee-grounds-eggshells-44657.html
Plant Nutrients
Sixteen chemical elements are known to be important to a plant's growth and survival. The sixteen
chemical elements are divided into two main groups: non-mineral and mineral.
Non-Mineral Nutrients
The Non-Mineral Nutrients are hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), & carbon (C).
These nutrients are found in the air and water.
In a process called photosynthesis, plants use energy from the sun to
change carbon dioxide (CO2 - carbon and oxygen) and water (H2O- hydrogen
and oxygen) into starches and sugars. These starches and sugars are the plant's
food.
Photosynthesis means "making things with light".
Since plants get carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from the air and water, there is little farmers and gardeners
can do to control how much of these nutrients a plant can use.

Mineral Nutrients
The 13 mineral nutrients, which come from the soil, are dissolved in water and absorbed through a
plant's roots. There are not always enough of these nutrients in the soil for a plant to grow healthy. This is
why many farmers and gardeners use fertilizers to add the nutrients to the soil.
The mineral nutrients are divided into two groups:
macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients can be broken into two more groups:
primary and secondary nutrients.
The primary nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). These major
nutrients usually are lacking from the soil first because plants use large amounts for their growth
and survival.
The secondary nutrients are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), andsulfur (S). There are usually
enough of these nutrients in the soil so fertilization is not always needed. Also, large amounts of
Calcium and Magnesium are added when lime is applied to acidic soils. Sulfur is usually found in
sufficient amounts from the slow decomposition of soil organic matter, an important reason for
not throwing out grass clippings and leaves.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are those elements essential for plant growth which are needed in only very small (micro)
quantities . These elements are sometimes called minor elements or trace elements, but use of the term
micronutrient is encouraged by the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of
America. The micronutrients
are boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chloride (Cl),manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn)
. Recycling organic matter such as grass clippings and tree leaves is an excellent way of providing
micronutrients (as well as macronutrients) to growing plants.
Resources:
http://www.benefits-of-recycling.com/howdoescompostingwork/
http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/nutrient.htm
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilizing-plants-coffee-grounds-eggshells-44657.html

APPENDIX
3:

PRE
SURVEY

How strongly do you agree with the following statements?
1
Strongly
Disagree
2
Disagree
3
Neutral
4
Agree
5
Strongly Agree
I am familiar with the Food
School
I am familiar with the lessons
taught to my child in the Food
School
I am influential on my child's food
choices
I feel confident teaching my child
the information in the newsletter
On average, how many fruits and vegetables do you eat a day?
True False
1-2
3-4
5-6

7+
On average, how many servings of fruits and vegetables does your child/children
eat a day?
True False
1-2
3-4
5-6
7+
How likely are you to do the following?
Very Unlikely Unlikely Neutral Likely Very Likely
Compost at home
Use the "Calls to Action" in the
newsletter
Volunteer for the Food School
How useful did you find the following:
Very Useless Useless Neutral Useful Very Useful

The information in the newsletter
The "Calls to Action" in the
newsletter
Any suggestions for the Food School?

APPENDIX
4:

POST
SURVEY

http://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/Kk2go0oy
How strongly do you agree with the following statements?
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
I am familiar with the Food
School
I am familiar with the lessons
taught to my child at the Food
School
I am influential on my child's food
choices
I feel confident teaching my child
the information in the newsletter
How useful did you find the following:
The information in the newsletter
The "Calls to action" in the
newsletter
How many calls to action did you use at home?
● 0
● 1

● 2
● 3
remove answer
Did you start a compost at home
● Yes
● No
On average, how many fruits and vegetables do you eat a day?
● 1-2
● 3-4
● 5-6
● 7+
On average, how many servings of fruits and vegetables does your child/children
eat a day?
● 1-2
● 3-4
● 5-6
● 7+
How likely are you to do the following:
Volunteer at the Food School
Any suggestions for the Food School?

Community Nutrition final project

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