BIO304: Human Nutrition

Papakolea, Palolo Elementary Options, POLC, GIFT, & Drive to End Hunger

Papakolea: 10-12 students total, working in 4 groups

Nursing student volunteers will do their initial hours of service in the garden. In addition to contributing to its flourishing, they use the time to informally assess the changes that have been made (and reflect on their efficacy), as well as to inventory the food production of the garden.
Based on the foods ready for harvest/use, students will create (or research) healthy recipes.  The recipes should contain ALL of the following elements. Each one . . .

• Should be culturally appropriate
• Should feature at least one ingredient from the garden. 
• Should be “good” for diabetics
• Should be nutritiously rich
• Should be relatively low-cost / budget-friendly
• Students will work in groups of 2-3 to teach the preparation of these recipes in Papakolea’s community kitchen.  These “Cooking Classes” will be 30-45 minutes long, with time afterward for tasting and talking story.

Generally, there will be one class in September, one in October, one in early November (featuring Thanksgiving), and one in late November (featuring Christmas) - - - for a total of 4 classes.  One student group should schedule & implement one class. (10-12 students total)

• Cooking classes should educate residents about the aforementioned elements of their recipes.  For example, they should discuss “smart shopping” and how to make budget-friendly choices relevant to the recipe, including online resources for coupons, etc.  Students should be able to explain how the recipe is nutritious (and perhaps a little about how the body benefits from those nutrients), why it is good for diabetics, etc.
• The recipes should be written up. They should also include the relevant information listed above.  These will be published in Papakolea’s newsletters.

Palolo Elementary's Science Curriculum on Medicinal Plants: 4 students

The 4th grade students at Palolo Elementary School are learning about the use of Hawaiian plants as medicine.  They are also working to grow the plants, to label them appropriately around campus, and to use them in healthy recipes.

Nursing student volunteers will help teach the keiki the basic science behind high blood pressure and other ailments, as well as the properties of the plants that make them effective as medicine. They will also teach about the nutritional properties of the plants. Additional options are to create educational games and/or to develop simple recipes that are kid-friendly. Students will meet with teacher Anita Silva to determine the content of their lessons.

Students should be available on Tuesdays, between12:30-1:15 and/or 1:15-2:15 to deliver their lessons. Specific dates and times will be arranged with Ms. Silva.

Palolo Elementary's Nov.10th Community STEM Event (formerly known as the "Health Fair"): 4 students

Palolo Elementary will invite the community to its campus on Saturday, 10 November, 2012. General time frame is 8:00am - 1:30pm

Nursing student volunteers will plan and excecute blood pressure & weight screenings. They will develop & disseminate flyers about health & nutrition, including information about food & its relationship to obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Palolo Homes' Survey Follow-Up, Nutrition Education: 5 students

In NUR290, students conducted community-based research in Palolo Homes. Those students are invited to return to the Palolo Ohana Learning Center (POLC) in the heart of Palolo Homes, to deliver the results of the survey at the Tenants' Association meeting on 13 September 2012 at 7:00pm. Based on the tenants' feedback, students will plan and orchestrate nutrition/health education modules for the POLC during this term. See Papakolea instructions (above) for workshop ideas.

The GIFT Program: 25 students

"GIFT" stands for "Give it Fresh Today." Volunteers collect fresh produce at farmers' markets for organizations that feed the hungry. For a great overview:
http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxHONOLULUVivian-Chau-Best-A

Organizations that benefit include Aloha Harvest and the Institute for Human Services. Also, GIFT serves the Unity Church of Hawaii, located down the street from
the KCC market. It has two nights of food service for their Ho'opono (homeless in Waikiki) and Gregory House (homeless living with HIV/AIDS) projects. The church
prepares food in their kitchen and brings the food out into the community.

Volunteers will help to set up the GIFT table/booth at the farmers' markets, thank people for donations, and ensure that the food is picked up by receiving organizations. You will also educate people about the need for the project and recruit other volunteers from the community. Volunteers sign up according to the posted schedules (see below, or the "Give It Fresh Today" facebook page.)

Volunteers should arrive for shifts with time to spare. The early shifts begin before the markets officially open so that there’s time to set up. More set-up time is needed at the KCC markets because we must set up the tent, retrieve chairs, put up signage, and obtain boxes from vendors The later morning shift will continue to obtain boxes, etc. At the end of the market, they will also help to break everything down, return equipment/signs to the proper places, and sort and load the food into the receiving trucks.

Most important is our education component. In addition to telling people about the need for GIFT, you will develop materials for public dissemination. These will feature nutrition education and perhaps address nutritional deficiencies in poverty-stricken populations. Coordinator Vivian Best will be your contact and consultant for the development of these materials.