Akendra Garrett, EFNEP Agent – Berkeley and Charleston Counties
Youth at Yes, I Can! After-school program were all smiles as they received their certificate of completion from the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. Yes, I Can! empowers youth through learning.
This program is dedicated to fostering every student’s academic, social and emotional growth while focusing on social, and emotional Learning (SEL) activities, to ensure that children develop the skills they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Students worked through lessons from the Choose Health: Food, Fun, Fitness curriculum, which provides six hands-on lessons. That targets behaviors shown to reduce unhealthy weight gain and chronic disease. Topics include replacing sweetened drinks with low-fat milk and water, eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, eating fewer high-fat and high-sugar foods, and engaging in activities throughout the program.
Youth at the Yes, I Can! After-school program were excited during each lesson, but the “Rethink Your Drink” lesson was the most mind-boggling. One student said they stopped drinking sodas after that lesson, and 1-2 students would come to me each visit and say, “See! I have my water bottle.” The education specialists also reported that youth were excited to be involved in nutrition and liked trying the new snacks the most.
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
