Teaching Our yoUth Choices- Activities and Nutrition

TOUCAN

Teaching Our yoUth Choices- Activities and Nutrition or TOUCAN is a program developed through the 2008 Safe Routes to Schools grant with McCook Public Schools.  With an Intervention Implementation Grant through the Office of Community Health Development from Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, TOUCAN is able to reach across Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department’s health district.  TOUCAN teaches Kindergarten through Third grade students proper eating habits, the food guide pyramid, activities to be physically active, calories consumed in relationship to physical activity, and exposes the children to calorie counting. 

Educating children at this young age will help them in choosing healthier options or choices for nutrition and physical activity. It will eventually reduce the high childhood obesity statistic in the state of Nebraska, but especially the rural area of Southwest Nebraska. 

The TOUCAN program is also mentoring with McCook Public Schools to establish more schools within the health district, to make policy and environmental changes in the Alliance for Healthier Generations program.

On February 3, 2010, we traveled to Frontier County to teach TOUCAN to the Kindergarten, First, Second, and Third grade Physical Education classes at Medicine Valley Elementary.  Throughout the day all classes participated in fun games and activities appropriate to their age group. They learn about fruits and vegetable, fat and muscle, food portions, burning calories, and fun activities to burn off calories.  Every student received a TOUCAN sack filled with nutrition information from MyPyramid for Kids, Fruits and Vegetables More Matters, Nebraska Dairy Council, the National Dairy Council, a pencil and sticker with the TOUCAN logo, and a banana pen from the American Dietetic Association.  The Physical Education teacher, Derek Bantam received education materials including articles and resources about childhood obesity, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, promoting physical activity in the school setting, body mass index chart, stature chart, weight for age chart, and other nutrition articles/handouts.

TOUCAN is a beginning level tool to educate elementary children, school staff, and parents about choosing healthier options for more a nutrient-rich diet and being more physically active. Having TOUCAN in Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department’s health district will encourage each school or school district to make environmental and policy changes through the Alliance for Healthier Generations and help to decrease the obesity rate in Southwest Nebraska.  

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