An after-school cooking workshop developed by three Clinton School students has received a “Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas” grant of more than $16,000 to implement the program in three local school districts.
As part of a commitment made at last year’s Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU), Clinton School students Lindsey Barnett, Dimas Espinola and Josh Stokes created the SPORK Program in early 2009 to educate both students and parents about the importance of eating healthy meals and snacks.
Through a partnership with Faith Anaya, owner and operator of Kids Cook!, the SPORK program was piloted at eStem Public School in April 2009. During the pilot program, 13 fifth-grade students made a dinner of chicken quesadillas and fresh fruits and vegetables for themselves and their families.
While the children cooked, the parents learned about portion size, healthier food options and child-friendly snacks from Marilyn Brodie, a nutritionist at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Once the food was prepared, parents and students ate together.
With the Blue & You Foundation grant, the SPORK program will be implemented in selected middle schools in the Little Rock, North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School Districts.
Each school will host an after-school workshop one day a week for six weeks. Students will learn new recipes and cooking techniques, and parents will attend a presentation by an Arkansas Children’s Hospital nutritionist. For the final workshop, children will pick their favorite recipes and cook a finale dinner for their parents.
The Blue & You Foundation grant funds will be managed by Pulaski County Youth Services; Kids Cook! Arkansas will oversee the culinary aspects of the series; and Arkansas Children’s Hospital nutritionists will provide expertise on workshop curriculum and education.
Barnett will coordinate the implementation of the program. The workshops are set to begin in the spring and will conclude in the fall of 2010.