1. School-University-Community Partnerships for Gardening:
Teaching the Value of Fresh Foods for Child Health
By Hillary Swift and Valerie A. Ubbes, PhD, CHES,
Department of Kinesiology and Health, Miami University
Current & Future Plans with Bogan
Elementary School Garden (Oxford, OH):
Planting Seeds of Change for
a Healthier Generation:
References:
Farm To School. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2015, from
http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school
Marlow, M. P., & Nass-Fukai, J. (2000). Collegiality, collaboration, and kuleana: Three
crucial components for sustaining effective school-university partnerships. Education, 121
(1), 188.
Sanders, M. G. (2003). Community involvement in schools from concept to practice.
Education and Urban Society, 35(2), 161-180.
The Benefits of Farm to School. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://
www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdf
The Value of Fresh Foods for Child Health:
Schools:
Bogan
Elementary
School
(Oxford, OH)
• Schools benefit from the resources, perspectives and
know how of universities.
• Universities need partner schools to prepare their
students with hands on experience.
• Together with the community these partnerships can
create positive social change (Marlow & Nass-Fukai,
2000).
Benefits of School Gardening:
• Connect community members with
students to talk about farming and
eating fresh foods.
• Partner with local farmers to provide
farm fresh food to the school cafeteria.
Schools
University
Community
Healthier
Children
Current School-University-Community
Partnership:
• Public Health: provides
healthy food options and
nutrition education to influence
health behavior of children.
• Economy: economic
development for farmers.
• Education: develop skills
School-University-Community Partnerships:
• Increased fruit and vegetable intake.
• Increased knowledge about
gardening, agriculture, healthy food,
local and seasonal food.
• Increased willingness to try new and
for healthy eating and provides a platform to teach
health with core subjects.
• Environment: supports children’s engagement in
nature (www.farmtoschool.org/Resources/BenefitsFactSheet.pdf).
Support Local
Farmers
Environmentally
Friendly
Nutrition
Awareness
University:
Miami University-
Kinesiology and
Health Department
Community Agencies:
Oxford Farmer’s Market
Uptown (OFMU)
MOON* Co-op: local &
natural foods grocery
store.
School Garden Partners in Oxford, OH:
Background Experience:
• 2011-Volunteered on two local farms,
Locust Run & Artistry Farm
• 2012-Attended local Ohio Ecological
Food and Farm Association (OEFFA)
meetings & helped to organize/plan
annual Harvest Moon Festival.
• Fall-Started working at Miami Oxford Organic
Network* (MOON) Co-op: a natural foods grocery
store that sells local produce.
• 2015-became a board member for the Oxford
Farmer’s Market Uptown (OFMU), working to
connect OFMU with the food stamp population.
• Nutrition Education Strategies: Tasting Days:
students try produce from the garden; Food ABC’s:
foods for each letter of the alphabet
• Program Development: link the USDA Farm to
School Program with the local Oxford community
(http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school).
healthy foods at school and at home.
• Improved life skills, self-esteem, social skills.
• Increased physical activity.
https://vimeo.com/3770665
http://www.kidsgardening.org/node/120
http://www.farmtoschool.org/
1. Contacted Bogan
Elementary teacher, Terri
Meyers, about helping with 1st
grade children’s garden.
2. Created website to share
information with teachers (https://
miamiuniversityschoolgardening.wordpress.com/)
3. Contacted local farmer about coming to Bogan
Elementary School to talk to 1st graders.
4. Contacted local author Jan Wolterman about
sharing her children’s nutrition book, “Munch,
Crunch, Bunch” with the 1st graders.
5. Interviewed Amy Macechko, Talawanda School
District Health & Wellness Coordinator about the
possibility of a Farm to School program in Oxford.
http://www.farmtoschool.org/
KNH 477 Gardens & Public Health
Outcomes:
• Bogan Elementary School, Miami University, MOON
Co-op & local farmers in Oxford, OH.