Every parent knows what a pain it can be to get children to try healthy food. The New Horizon Academy, however, is making this possible across its 62 centers, and introducing healthy and locally sourced food to 7,500 students. They believe that unless children are introduced to eco friendly food, they will never try it.
Healthy Option for Kids
In an attempt to develop knowledge and a positive attitude in children about agriculture, nutrition, and the environment, the New Horizon Academy has introduced the Farm2 NHA program, in which they bring locally grown healthy food to the students every week. Since the academy is fully aware of how difficult it is to make children eat healthy food, they have a novel way of implementing it.
As Cara Johnson-Bader (parent experiences director at the New Horizon Academy) puts it, children need 28 different types of experience with an item. For this reason, the academy has not only introduced eco friendly promotional items in their menu, but has also incorporated a garden at each center so that the students can explore agriculture on their own. The teachers have also changed their diet to healthy snacks and meals to set an example for the children. Ms Johnson-Bader is also of the view that children will try healthy food if they see others liking it. The children also get to take part in cooking projects and taste-testing for the farm food.
The academy’s Farm2NHA initiative is in collaboration with Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). The academy is also incorporating community involvement and interactions with the local farmers as a part of this program. The students will also have books on nutrition that will be incorporated into their curriculum. As an effort to extend the endeavors outside the school and to the homes of the children, parents will be provided with cooking activities, book lists and organic recipes so that they can reinforce these eco-friendly concepts at home.
Encouraging Children to Use Eco Friendly Promotional Items
Encouraging the use of eco friendly promotional items in schools has larger benefits than just reducing the electricity or water usage of the school. It develops a greater sense of pride and belonging within the students. They also learn how to be more responsible towards the environment. Linking eco-friendly activities into the school curriculum can not only be a creative way of developing environmentally conscious individuals, but it can also extend the awareness to the homes and parents of the students as well. The students’ behavior also improves as they unite in a common goal to protect the Earth.
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