eval report cover.indd - New Jersey Farm to School Network Wiki

FTK-PA: FARM TO KINDERGARTEN INITIATIVE,THE FOOD TRUST, PENNSYLVANIAConclusions Farm to School and RecommendationsProgram ProfilesThe Food Trust’s Kindergarten Initiative reachedout to kindergarten students in several Philadelphiapublic schools, with the goals to increasechildren’s consumption of nutritious foods, increasetheir awareness of where food comes from, and instillin them an appreciation for farms and farmers. Kindergartenstudents were served healthy snacks sourcedand made from local products thrice a week and offerednutrition education in the classroom; parents were alsooffered nutrition education sessions.After a successful year of pilot programs in four schools,FTK-PA expanded to six new schools in 2005-06.Schools that were eligible to participate were rankedin order based on a random number assignment andsystematically approached until six gave their consent.Th ereafter, three schools were randomly assigned toreceive the intervention while the remaining schoolsserved as controls. In return for participation, the controlschools receive the program the following year.Across the six schools, a total of 201 kindergartners consented to participate. A wide rangeof outcomes were measured by this study including changes in student knowledge abouthealthy diets, local foods and farming, ability to read food labels, preference for healthyfoods, body mass index, literacy, parent’s dietary intake, parent involvement and knowledge.Teachers were also asked to provide feedback on a teacher training conducted as partof the initiative.Funding support was provided by the Claniel Foundation and the USDA Food Stamp NutritionEducation Program.Th e Food Trust, Kindergarten Initiative Evaluation Report February 2007.Philadelphia PublicSchools, PAFree / reduced mealeligibility: 76%Total schools: 291public, 55 charterEnrollment: 196,309Demographics:14.5% Hispanic, 65.5% AfricanAmerican, 14.2% White, 5.3%Asian, 2% Native AmericanLocal product used in:Snacks served tokindergarten studentsOther program components:Nutrition educationcurriculum, parent education,teacher trainingTh e Food Trust, Kindergarten Initiative, 2004-05 Evaluation results.Th e Food Trust, School Market Program End of the Year Evaluation Report 2003-04.72 Bearing Fruit: Farm to School Evaluation Resources and Recommendations