Last Live Healthy America Class!

Unfortunately this past week was the last Live Healthy America class.  My students were so sad and so was I.  I looked back and realized how much these children have learned, and I smiled because I was the one that taught them all of this amazing information.  I can only hope that they will continue to cook and eat healthy because of this program.  We spent the class reflecting on each lesson we had learned over the year.  I asked students to tell me key points from each lesson and why they enjoyed the lesson.  To celebrate the last class, we made chili.  This was a huge hit with all of the students! The recipe is posted below!

 

 

 

Each student wrote me a card as a way to say goodbye and thank you.  I read each and everyone of these and appreciated them so much!  I had noticed that a lot of them said I was "cool" and "smart" and that I had helped them learn a lot.  It was so amazing to know that these students had truly enjoyed my presence each and every week.  One last thing that will stay with me forever was when I was teaching, I asked the students if they were sad that our Live Healthy America classes were ending.  One of my students said, "I am sad that you are leaving, we will always remember this stuff but we won't always have you."  I tried not to tear up as I heard her say that.  It felt so great to know that I had made a difference in their life and that I was able to be a role model to them.  After that, when I was passing out our food, all of the students kept telling me that they thought I was "so cool" and that they would miss me.  I am crying as I write this because I truly miss them as well.  All of the classes I taught will forever be a part of my life and there will not be a day where I don't think about all the amazing students that have touched my life.

As for the end of this program and graduation from Ohio University, I will still continue my Live Healthy America lessons, just in a different way.  This summer I will be teaching lessons to people of all ages.  Girl scout groups to Lions Club meetings are on my agenda to speak about my personal platform and teach people how to live healthy lives!

Live Healthy America- Mexico!

My students loved learning about Mexico this week!  Many of them said they have eaten at Mexican restaurants lately and were excited to make our recipe!  We pointed out Mexico on the map and then learned facts about Mexico.  Chili peppers are popular there and protect against bacterial infections common in hot climates.  The active ingredient kills harmful germs/ bacteria in the intestines.  Corn tortillas are an important part of the Mexican diet and are traditionally eaten with rice and beans.  Guacamole is a popular way to serve avocados.  A mexican cooking tool is a tortillera.  A tortilla is made when a ball of dough is pressed between the two plates of the tortillera.  We also learned about Los Dias de los Muertos, also known as the day of the dead.  It is a Mexican celebration to celebrate, remember and prepare special foods in honor of those who have passed away.  This is a very happy holiday and is celebrated with remembrance and joy.  On this day in Mexico, the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decoration of papel picado (paper decorations) and flowers, candy calaveras (skeletons and skulls) and parades.  The recipe we made was frijoles and tortillas.  Enjoy!

Live Healthy America- India!

It was so great to teach the students about India!  They knew where India was located on the globe and already knew a few facts about it!  We learned about spices and that they are very important in Indian cuisine.  They are used to flavor and help preserve food.  Three common spices for Indian cuisine are cinnamon, cumin and chili powder.  Cinnamon is a spice made from the bark of the Cinnamomum Verum trees.  Some people in this culture may chew on cumin seeds to help with digestion.  Chili powder is made from ground peppers and other spices.  Traditional ingredients are spinach, sweet potatoes, onions, chickpeas, and naan.  Spinach is rich in nutrients and provides our body with a lot of vitamins including A, B, C, and E.  Chickpeas are legumes and are sometimes called garbanzo beans.  India grows more chickpeas than any other country.  Naan is a flat bread that is traditionally cooked in a clay oven.  Here is the recipe we made!

Volunteer of the Month!

I opened my email the other day to read the Live Healthy America/ Appalachia newsletter and saw my face!  I was so puzzled and then noticed there was a paragraph by my picture!  After I had read it and saw that I was recognized as the volunteer of the month, I was so greatful!  This is something they have never recognized!  I am so glad that my work does not go unnoticed and that I am making a difference in peoples lives!