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

MIG-MI: MIXED GREENS PROGRAM, MICHIGANGrand RapidsPublic Schools, MIFree / reduced mealeligibility: 78%Total schools: 42(23 receive LOOP program)Enrollment: 2,324Demographics (GrandRapids City):67.3% White, 20.4%African American, 13.1%Hispanic, 1.6% AsianLocal product used in:Local food tastingsOther programcomponents:School gardensThe purpose of the Mixed Greens Program was to improvethe health and academics of children by re-establishingtheir relationship to whole foods throughthe use of vegetable gardens and kitchen classrooms.Mixed Greens offered after-school programming andsummer enrichment programming at three WyomingPublic Schools, three Grand Rapids Public schools, andone community center (Grandville Avenue Academy forthe Arts), as well as school day programming at one GrandRapids Public School through the Snack Facts and BrainBreaks programs, offered in conjunction with the USDAFruit and Vegetable grant the school received. More siteswere expected to be added in the future.Th e Grand Rapids after school program called LOOP wasrun by three community partners: Camp Fire USA, City ofGrand Rapids Department of Parks and Recreation, and theYMCA. The Wyoming Public Schools after school programcalled TEAM 21 was run by the City of Wyoming Parks andRecreation Department and funded through a 21st CenturyCommunity Learning Centers grant.Th e programs included a once a week garden program at the school based on themes suchas trying out new foods, learning about foods grown in Michigan, seasonal plants, harvesting,garden maintenance, and nutrition. Other activities presented in the garden setting includedmath, spelling, geography, literacy, yoga, teamwork, and the environment. Studentswere also taken on farm field trips.Evaluations of the summer programs of 2005 and 2006 were available that included informationcollected through “Veggie Votes” (developed by Mixed Greens in collaborationwith Spectrum Health and the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Agriculture, Michigan StateUniversity). Veggie Votes was a tool developed to assess students’ preferences and changesin attitudes towards specific vegetables as a result of taste tests conducted.Summary of Mixed Greens Veggie Vote Analyses, Academic Year 2005-2006.Conclusions Farm to School and Program RecommendationsProfilesTriant Sally Laughter, Ryan Ashley, Mixed Greens: City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Summer 2005 ProgrammingEvaluation.www.farmtoschool.org 75