School Age
Programs
Our outreach programs bring research-based nutrition education to elementary classrooms across Pennsylvania. Through fun, sensory-rich activities that spark curiosity and movement, children explore new foods and discover where their food comes from. By engaging students early, we empower them to make informed choices for lifelong health—one classroom, one child, one family at a time.
Contact us to learn more about becoming a partner.
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“I liked all the fruits and vegetables you bring.”
Kindergarten student , Discover MyPlate
“They love to dance to the CD you gave us!”
Elementary teacher , Serving Up MyPlate
Program Spotlight
Growing Healthy Habits
Growing Healthy Kids (GHK) is a garden-themed, nutrition education designed for students in 2nd and 3rd grades. This program is aligned with Common Core standards and MyPlate messages that make it suitable for a SNAP-ED audience.
The program gives students opportunities to learn basic plant parts and try a variety of fruits and vegetables. Along with core journaling and gardening activities, lessons include food tasting activities, recipe printouts, physical activity options, coloring sheets, and book suggestions.
During the “Seed Shake-Up” activity, students mixed soil and water in containers to observe how different particles settle into layers.
Serving Up MyPlate
Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum is a fun, interactive program created by the USDA that helps elementary school students discover the building blocks of good nutrition right in their own classrooms. Led by Penn State Healthy Kids Nutrition Educator Matt Bugaj, the program blends lessons about healthy eating into everyday subjects like math, science, reading, and health. Through exciting activities, hands-on food tastings, and engaging discussions, students learn about the five food groups featured in the MyPlate icon. With each bite-sized experience, kids gain the tools to make healthy choices and share what they learn with their families.
Discover MyPlate
Discover MyPlate is an exciting educational program for kindergarten students developed under the United State Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Team Nutrition initiative.
Led by Penn State Healthy Kids Nutrition Educator, Matt Bugaj, these fun and inquiry-based lessons foster the development of healthy food choices and physically active lifestyles during a critical developmental and learning period.
Past Programs & Partners
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After School Programs
We partnered with Summit Early Learning to deliver evidence-based nutrition education to children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Using the Growing Healthy Habits curriculum, students explored healthy living through writing, reflection, scientific discovery, and active play. One highlight was the 'Seed Shake-Up' activity, where students mixed soil and water in a container to observe how different particles settle into layers—turning science into a hands-on adventure!
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Summer Camps
In partnership with Summit Early Learning and Tioga County Fit For Life, we brought the Growing Healthy Habits curriculum to K–5 campers. Kids explored nutrition and expanded the curriculum they experienced during the school year through food tastings, games, and science experiments. A highlight included comparing energy from burning different foods. Campers learned healthy habits in a fun, engaging way through the summer!
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Classroom Experiences
We partnered with the Bellwood-Antis School District to deliver nutrition education to five Kindergarten and five 1st Grade classrooms. Students received engaging print materials to support learning and family communication. Classrooms were equipped with visual aids, and students enjoyed food tastings including a vibrant Crunch Rainbow Wrap made with purple cabbage, green peas, carrots, red peppers, and corn—and even planted their own little seedlings to watch grow.
