Grant helps educate parents, students about healthful living

January 28, 2016 at 12:04a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Takiyah Anderson tries to cook healthy for her family.

It’s not easy when you have picky children.

After sampling the Haitian-style chicken and rice and the fresh fruit with honey and yogurt topping prepared Wednesday at Rayen Early College Middle School, she plans to try the recipes at home. “It’s really good,” she said.

Beth Stefura, an Ohio State University Extension educator, prepared the food in a REC hallway for students, teachers and parents attending parent-teacher conferences.

Healthful cooking is part of a five-year, $20,000 Ignite grant OSU received. This marks the grant’s third year.

The grant aims to increase nutrition education in sixth- through-eighth grades.

“Obesity prevention is the target,” Stefura said.

The grant includes several components: physical activity, nutrition education, healthful cooking and safety and security. A panel including OSU Extension, YMCA, the city health and police departments, teachers, administrators, parents and students developed a plan to address those components.

This is the third year of the grant.

The Haitian-style chicken includes brown rice, onion, bell peppers, boneless chicken, orange and lime juices and spices.

To encourage physical activity, the panel has developed a walking club to start in the spring at the track behind the school. Police officers are to provide security during certain times, Stefura said.

“It’s just students now, but we plan to expand it to adults in the community,” she said.

The program involves educating students about healthful food choices, too.

REC was selected for the grant because it’s an urban school with the targeted grades and because of its location.

“This is a food desert,” Stefura said. “There aren’t a lot of grocery stores in this area.”

She said she gives high marks to school officials with whom she’s worked.

“They’ve always been accessible, cooperative,” Stefura said.