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Extension Highlights of Northeast Indiana

October 29, 2024

September 2024

Filling a Gap in Nutrition Education at Central Noble Middle School

Abigail Creigh is partnering with teachers at Central Noble Middle School to provide nutrition education to teens. Most recently she focused on after-school snacks by having students make quick, healthy recipes.The partnership started four years ago when Health teachers saw a need for students to learn about nutrition and cooking after the elimination of the Family and Consumer Science classes. The success of the program has grown from Creigh bringing her own supplies to having five kitchen stations stocked with basic supplies to provide more hands-on activity.

Class to Clover Programs Extend Learning Beyond the Classroom

LaGrange County was granted $4,800 from a community sponsor to start a Class to Clover program. This initiative will provide students with free 4-H enrollment, a project curriculum book, and necessary project supplies to extend education outside of class.

JP Pietrowski is expanding a Class to Clover program to 175 youth in three Huntington County elementaries. Local donors sponsored 117 youth with $5000 last year.

Future Master Gardeners Learn Through Hands-on Experience

Trainees in the Allen County Master Gardener class do more than sit through lectures; their classes work through real world scenarios for enhanced learning.
In their September class on pesticide use, they were given common products and asked to provide recommendations on proper use. They actively read the product labels, compared different products, and even dressed in the appropriate personal protective equipment for their product.

$120K donated from Vincennes University and Telamon Robotics to bring three collaborative robots (cobots) to use in schools and 4-H programs for workforce development in Elkhart, Kosciusko, and Whitley Counties.

1,367 Youth and adults participated in “Vaping: Small Devices, Big Impacts” to understand the dangers of vaping and identify the side effects of vaping. This program is offered by LaGrange County educators.

For questions about these programs or to find out how you can bring them to your county, please reach out to Kelly Heckaman, Area 11 Director, at kheckaman@purdue.edu.

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