Progress 07/01/07 to 06/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We have completed the term for the grant. With the no-cost extension and change of scope we were able to attract 147 students to take classes in Health, Nutrition and Food Safety. Nineteen students are now registered National Restaurant Managers. The topics of health, nutrition and food safety have been incorporated into the early childhood classes. Nutrition, a course that was not offered prior to the grant, is now one of the most popular in the college. Students have given testament to the transformative nature of the newly developed curricula and the impact the information attained has had on their personal eating, cooking and shopping habits. Through the grant we have created two new avenues to enhanced careers for our students. The certificate programs developed will continue to be offered in future semesters. There are nineteen new certified National Restaurant Managers and recipients of a 21 credit certificate in Health, Nutrition and Food Safety. Over 150 students have taken courses in this area- one that did not exist prior to our receiving the grant. Of these, 32% are Hispanic American. Over 300 people, many of whom were early childhood educators and directors, attended our luncheon and conference to hear from leaders in the field of health, nutrition and food safety. They left armed with great information and materials (in a bag advertising USDA) that they could share with staff, co-workers and parents.Our courses have all been aligned to national standards and health, nutrition and safety are topics that are incorporated into all early childhood education classes. As part of her internship, one student created a brochure on Head Start Boston's plan to combat childhood obesity. The plan was distributed to all Head Start centers in Boston. Dissemination: Information about the certificates is sent to 2,500 households every semester (three per year). The catalog contains information, as does the web site. The information is thus available to countless people. Our catalogs and brochures are distributed at college fairs in Greater Boston as well as at career training sites reaching hundreds, if not thousands of potential students.Future Initiatives: We intend to continue with our focus on health, nutrition and food safety, both for those who wish to work in restaurants and for those who work with children. Our courses have been translated into Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish and we have offered some of the courses in these languages. Our goal is to increase awareness of health concerns so as to make an impact that is far reaching and permanent in all of Boston's neighborhoods and beyond. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Hispanic and other persons working, or wishing to work in food service industries or with a food component of their jobs (child care providers) PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Students-there are 500 in our Early Education Programs- have had the opportunity to earn professional certificates in new areas. Child care providers are now able to incorporate new information into their work with children and are better prepared to offer healthy meals, snacks and movement opportunities to the children in their care. This information is also passed on to parents for a second degree of education. Our hope is that the information obtained will have a ripple effect on generations to come as our students are at the front line in helping children develop good health habits that will impact them for their lifetimes.
Publications
- The Healthy Start for Healthy Futures luncheon and workshop was hosted by the college in April, 2011. These amazing events helped to bring much needed attention to child health and nutrition, and, as a by-product, to the needs of adults as well. Some of the most respected leaders were presenters at the luncheon and conference. Attendees who supported our cause included Dr. T. Berry Brazelton who was presented with a life-time achievement award for his pioneering work with children and families. Our website at www.urbancollege.edu features our certificate programs. Brochures have been developed and distributed to let people outside of Urban College know of the educational opportunities that we have now developed. Certificate requirements and course descriptions are part of our course catalog.
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Progress 07/01/09 to 06/30/10
Outputs
During this year we have made terrific progress with the grant. There are 109 students enrolled in the Health Nutrition and Food Safety (FSN) certificate program, up from 56 at the beginning of this report period. We had our first group of 9 students receive their certificates at the June 5th graduation ceremony. Ten students are expected to complete the program in December. Of the remaining students, 13 have completed 6 courses, 36 have completed 5, 16 have completed 4, 7 have completed 3, 2 have completed 2 and 11 have completed 1. Only 3 students have failed to complete course work and are withdrawn. 34 students have taken the ServSafe or National Food Manager's exam, passed and become certified. This adds 34 people to the workforce where this certificate is required with more to follow during the next three semesters. After the no-cost extension was approved, we developed the curriculum for the new certificate in Child Health Care, Safety and Nutrition. Both certificates were added to our catalog and website. We have set up significant partnerships with local businesses such as Haley House, Merengue, Snapchef and Glam Foods and have increased our partnership with Head Start, Department of Public Health, Department of Food Safety and Sanitiation and WIC to provide current, relevant information and resources to our students. Faculty members have been hired and all courses in the Health, Nutrition and Food Safety program have been taught. Chef Didi Emmons (resume attached) was hired to design appropriate curricula and serve on the advisory board for the certificate, replacing Sonia Carter. The reaction of the students has been positive and interest is growing as we advise students how they can obtain a certificate as part of their degree programs. Our Health, Nutrition and Food Safety certificate has been approved by New England Association of Schools and Colleges. PRODUCTS: The curricula for both certificates have been established. All courses in the Health, Nutrition and Food Safety certificate program have been taught with 9 students receiving the certificate in June of 2009 and 13 scheduled to complete in December. 36 have the ability to complete in June. The certificate program was approved by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, our regional accrediting body. "Child Health Care, Safety and Nutrition" was offered this summer in Mandarin as a pilot to measure the interest in our Chinese students. 13 students completed the course. The next step is to complete the course offerings and develop marketing to students in Mandarin, Spanish and English, promote the program and enroll more students. We added the new certificate to our catalog and website and are planning our annual Early Childhood Education Conference around the themes of child health care, safety, nutrition, brain development, obesity prevention, exercise and fitness. OUTCOMES: There are 109 students enrolled in the Health Nutrition and Food Safety (FSN) certificate program, up from 56 at the beginning of this report period. We had our first group of 9 students receive their certificates at the June 5th graduation ceremony. Ten students are expected to complete the program in December. Of the remaining students, 13 have completed 6 courses, 36 have completed 5, 16 have completed 4, 7 have completed 3, 2 have completed 2 and 11 have completed 1. Only 3 students have failed to complete course work and are withdrawn. 34 students have taken the ServSafe or National Food Manager's exam, passed and become certified. This adds 34 people to the workforce where this certificate is required with more to follow during the next three semesters. After the no-cost extension was approved, we developed the curriculum for the new certificate in Child Health Care, Safety and Nutrition. Both certificates were added to our catalog and website. We have set up significant partnerships with local businesses such as Haley House, Merengue, Snapchef and Glam Foods and have increased our partnership with Head Start, Department of Public Health, Department of Food Safety and Sanitiation and WIC to provide current, relevant information and resources to our students. Faculty members have been hired and all courses in the Health, Nutrition and Food Safety program have been taught. Chef Didi Emmons (resume attached) was hired to design appropriate curricula and serve on the advisory board for the certificate, replacing Sonia Carter. The reaction of the students has been positive and interest is growing as we advise students how they can obtain a certificate as part of their degree programs. Our Health, Nutrition and Food Safety certificate has been approved by New England Association of Schools and Colleges. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The project director, Nancy Daniel, appeared on Boston Cable Network to announce the Health, Nutrition and Food Safety certificate and to discuss employment opportunities in these areas. Announcements were placed in the local papers, the most recent being the one below. We have provided information in our catalog and web site and are listed on our partner, Haley House's website as well. Information was sent to all prospective students as well as at many college fairs throughout the area. Brochures and posters are available throughout the school. The annual report features an article and pictures from the Healthy and Safe Cooking class. FUTURE INITIATIVES: We are developing a brochure for the new certificate so that both certificate programs will be part of the college's offerings when this grant ends. The annual conference will be held in April; plans are under way for this exciting event. Health, Nutrition and Food Safety will continue to be emphasized in our courses. Our plan is to incorporate aspects of health and wellness into other courses such as Child Growth and Development, Psychology and others.
Impacts
The impacts of this venture are not always measurable; however, the Nutrition course, which was developed for this grant, has become one of the most popular in the college. With all the publicity concerning health, wellness, obesity prevention, etc. we are on the cutting edge of being able to make a tremendous impact on our students, their families and children, and the hundreds, if not thousands, of children who are in their care as early childhood educators. We have opened new career opportunities to students and provided new choices for many potential students. We have educated 109 students in an area where they had no prior knowledge and are poised to be certified, adding to their resumes and making them more competitive in a tough job market. We have provided 34 students with a national certification that they can take with them wherever they may go. We are poised to provide quality educational opportunities in a much needed area for years to come. We have connected to areas of our community and formed new relationships that will help to increase the college's capacity.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 07/01/08 to 06/30/09
Outputs
The certificate program is now completely developed and all courses within the certificate are being offered. Recruitment is an ongoing process and courses are offered each semester to attract new students into the program. This program had less interest among students than anticipated from the pre-grant student surveys. We have recruited and retained students within the certificate program. An advisory board member was added - Joanne Curtis Lee, a licensed sanitation expert - to help add more background knowledge into the program to benefit students. Advertisements and informational articles were written and published in the Boston Metro and Banner. Metro is a free daily newspaper written and designed for young and ambitious professionals. The Bay State Banner is an African American owned news weekly that reports on the political, economic, social and cultural issues that are of interest to communities of color in Boston and throughout New England. These two organizations are publications that are marketed to our target demographic audience. PRODUCTS: All courses within the certificate program have been developed and taught in the sequence. We have partnered with Haley House to help with course development, recruitment, and instruction. Individual advising for each of the 67 students in the program continues. Career counseling services and advice were also offered to the students. Individual tutoring is in place for students so that they can receive help with research and writing for their coursework. OUTCOMES: New faculty members have been hired and are instructing courses within the certificate program. We are now enrolling in the program. Our first graduating cohort will be in June 2010. This date is approximately 12 months behind the project target date in the initial proposal. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Outreach to 300 graduates and 650 students was done to invite them to learn more about the certificate program and enroll in coursework. Materials were taken to recruiting events through out the year so that the outside community learns more about this unique program and how they can become a part of it. FUTURE INITIATIVES: Our goal is to complete a website on the USDA program and have it published by 1/4/10. This will be a specific area on the Urban College website devoted to the program, student testimonials, pictures, education, current happenings, and publications. We plan to recruit more students for the upcoming Spring 2010 semester. A graduation celebration and marketing event will honor the individuals within the program and recruit new individuals for the Summer 2010 semester. Educational dissemination of student recipes based on nutritional guidelines will be published and more open houses will be scheduled. Spring 2010 educational seminars will be held for our student body as well as the larger community to educate them on these issues as well as to recruit new individuals into the program. We will add program aspects that on nutrition and food safety when working with children. Meetings on Articulation agreements with two higher education institutions with relevant programs for our graduating students to enter will be held.
Impacts
The project has impacted the students who are enrolled and are developing their knowledge in the Nutrition and Food Safety arena to take into their current and future employment. We have also formed community partnerships to help deliver educational courses to our students. Awareness of the program is spreading and how the USDA is helping to bring this to our community. This certificate program is allowing quick entry into a growing field in Boston where the levels of obesity in adults and children have been in the forefront of the news.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 07/01/07 to 06/30/08
Outputs
Progress report An Advisory Board has been formed for the Certificate Program. We developed a brochure advertising and explaining the certificate program. We advertised the program to resource and referral agencies, the Head Start network, Greater Boston restaurant services, community service organizations and local publications as well as featured the program in college brochures and newsletters. We developed the curriculum for the courses to be offered. A new faculty member, Katie Crisostomo, a nutritionist with the WIC program, and sent her for training to be certified to teach Serv/Safe and to proctor the exams. Purchased all books, videos and supplies needed for the first cohort of students. Offered the first new course "Food Safety" in the Spring of 2008 and again for the Summer session of 2008. Had advisory board meetings 6 times prior to the start of the first course Began investigation into the establishing of an Associate of Science degree by connecting with other two year colleges that offer similar programs PRODUCTS: We have developed the brochure and course work, added the information to our website, had articles written for local papers and college publications, made connections with Head Start cooks and other food service workers. OUTCOMES: The programs have been developed and we have begun to offer the courses. Work has begun on recruiting students and new faculty. The new program has not had the reception from students that we had hoped for based on the initial polling of the student body but we are meeting to explore ways to recruit students for this new, much needed program. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: We have formed partnerships with Learning Works, the largest resource and referral agency in Boston, SnapChef, a leading company which hires many food service workers, Merengue Restaurant, a very popular restaurant in Boston, Haley House Cafe and Bakery, a demonstration kitchen and operating restaurant in Boston, Head Start Boston which serves thousands of children each year, and South Shore Resource and Referral Agency. WE use school publications (semester brochures, website, catalog) and local news coverage including a scheduled appearance on local cable television by Division Chair, Nancy Daniel. We have a very large mailing and e-mailing list for sending information about the program and we have featured the program in the semester flyer that reaches over 5,000 households each term. Further, we have connected with the Massachusetts Department of Education to recruit students from their food services programs. FUTURE INITIATIVES: We plan to look into adding a program aspect that deals with health, nutrition and food safety when working with children as many of our current students and recent graduates run their own child care programs. Right now we are getting this program off the ground and developing the curriculum for the A.S. degree.
Impacts
We are providing an exciting new program that offers quick entry into a growing field, especially here in Boston where the confluence of healthy eating and serious levels of obesity in both adults and children have been in the forefront of the news. There seems to be an interest sparked in female entrepreneurs who have home child care businesses and want more information about nutrition and food safety. As we continue to present the program, this will be another focus for us.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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