What is the Youth Wellness Initiative?

The Youth Wellness Initiative presentation is designed for students to learn about the important role locally grown fruits and vegetables play in their health and well-being.

Students will explore the colors of the food rainbow and learn about the nutritional benefits of different fruits and vegetables. Following hands-on farm fresh food preparation, students will participate in taste-testing and learn how to practice mindful eating. Each student will receive a Farm Fresh Passport that includes engaging activities and games to encourage healthy eating at home, resources on where to find locally grown specialty crops, and kid-friendly recipes. Our teachers' toolkit also includes information to help further integrate the nutrition program into their classroom instruction.

Now available in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties!

Program Mission

The Youth Wellness Initiative is on a mission to educate, inspire, and empower students to become their own healthy heroes. Our interactive presentations in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties are designed for students to learn about the important role locally grown fruits and vegetables play in their health and well-being.

Participate in all 3 of our programs below to learn the journey of our food!

INTRO TO SEEAG PRESENTATION

(Recommended to be scheduled first, and a prerequisite for our Farm Lab Field Trip)

In this 1-hour classroom presentation, we aim to establish students’ connection to agriculture and our food. This presentation is the foundation of agricultural literacy, and is the first building block in our comprehensive third-grade curriculum. Participation is highly recommended to enhance the students’ comprehensive experience in learning about the journey of our food.

Check out the Farm Lab webpage for more information and resources.

FARM LAB FIELD TRIP

(Recommended to be scheduled prior to our Nutrition & Wellness Presentation)

This three-hour field trip takes place at one of our teaching farms. It was developed for third-grade classes and is aligned with NGSS standards. Join us as we explore topics related to agriculture on a working farm such as soil health, plant anatomy, groundwater extraction, and entomology. Participation is highly recommended to enhance the students’ comprehensive experience in learning about the journey of our food.

Check out Farm Lab webpage for more information and resources.

NUTRITION & WELLNESS PRESENTATION

(Recommended to schedule following our “Intro to SEEAG” and “Farm Lab” Programs, see below)

The Youth Wellness Initiative is designed for students to learn about the important role locally grown fruits and vegetables play in their health and well-being. This interactive classroom presentation includes lessons related to our food in its farm-to-table story. From field to utensil to the human body, this is the final stop as we learn about the journey of our food.

This 1-hour program includes:

  1. Top Crop Chopped Competitions

  2. Hands-on Rainbow Food Preparation Activities

  3. Mindful Eating and Taste Testing

  4. Integrated Physical Activity

  5. Take-Home Resource Bags

Check out these at-home, in the classroom, and post-presentation resources!

Farm Fresh Wellness Fairs

The Youth Wellness Initiative hosts monthly or bimonthly Wellness fairs during the school year to provide local produce and resources to families in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. These will occur in different locations each time, either partnering with a school or local community organization. Attendees can expect to receive fruits, vegetables, student resources, CalFresh/EBT information, and much more, all completely free. Everyone is welcome, but there are limited bags available for pickup.

To maximize our impact and reach in the community, we look to local schools and organizations to provide locations for these events. If you are interested in hosting a Wellness Fair, please sign up for one of our upcoming time slots. We provide all the resources and labor.