Day 20

Our picnic/locavore brunch today was great. I think this is a fun activity for the last day of class. The food was delicious and interesting to know where it all came from for future reference. This class and Athens in general has made me want to eat locally and support local business. It was good to have discussion and wrap up some of what we have learned through out the quarter. I have enjoyed our field trips this quarter very much and have learned a lot! :)

Day 19

I really enjoyed the tour of the Dairy farm! It was good to learn about the process in order to understand how much work goes into their business.  It really put farming in perspective for me because when I go to the grocery store and pick up my gallon of milk I don't think about where it came from or how much work it took to get into the store. The tour of the farm was eye-opening and very interesting.

Day 18

I was not in class today because I was went out of town for the weekend.

Day 17

Today we got together in our groups to work on our project. It was good to all be on the same page about finishing the assignment. We were able to assign individual work for everyone outside of group meetings and come back together to discuss what we all came up with. I'm glad we had a work day because it is hard to coordinate group project time with everyone's busy schedule.

Day 15

I enjoyed hearing Melissa talk about her position at WIC here in the Athens area. Because I did my agency project on WIC I understood more of what she was talking about and it was good to have that background knowledge. I can tell she is very passionate about her job and helping community members and their infants and children become healthier. Her talk definitely caught my interest because of her involvement directly with the community and raising awareness.

Day 16

The tour of Good Earth Farm was awesome! I have really enjoyed our field trips this quarter because it has given me an opportunity to explore places in Athens that I've never been. It was good to see the process of the farm and all that goes into their organization. The most beneficial part for me is seeing all the opportunities out there and learning about new experiences in our community.

Day 14

The tour of the compost facility was really interesting because I didn't know much about it at all before going. It is helpful to learn about the process of composting and how the result is helping our environment. I think so many people are unaware or don't take the time to educate themselves on important things around us and I'm glad I got the chance to see how it works. 


The tour of the Ecohouse was also very cool. I especially enjoyed learning how the students are using sustainability and forming environment friendly projects at the house. I had never been over to that side of town to explore and see what goes on. I am excited to check out some new opportunities here in Athens!

Day 13

Our class field trips and guest speakers has been really fun and educational this quarter. This approach to learning has been really great for me to find new opportunities and options that I didn't even know about. At the extension office I thought it was cool how they are able to reach out into the community and educate kids through the 4H program as well as families with the programs they offer. Some of the programs she mentioned such as the Family Nutrition Program sound especially interesting to me as a health communications major with hoping to find a job working to help people become healthier through interaction and education :)

Day 12

It has been informative and eye-opening to have a variety of guest speakers this quarter and it makes me realize the amazing amount of opportunities out there. I enjoyed learning about Heidi's job and her role at WellWorks. It was interesting to hear about the types of programs and work she is able to accomplish through her degrees and educational background. Having experience in a range of areas can only help to be a prepared and well-rounded person and be able to help as many people as possible with that knowledge and experience.

Day 11

I really enjoyed the presentation from Janine about her job in nutrition at Meijer. I did not even realize that Meijer had dietitians on staff and I think that is awesome. The way they are able to interact with customers and within the community is something I want to do in the future. Bringing nutritional education into the stores is so important and I can tell Meijer is taking impacting steps in the right direction.

Day 10

Although our speaker for today was unable to come, Dr. Holben was still able to share beneficial information with us. Regarding laws and regulations, he emphasized the importance of being aware of the requirements for that state and area specifically. It is important to always be honest with future employers and make a good, truthful impression based on your abilities and experience. 

Day 9

I enjoyed hearing Francie speak today on what she does in the community and here at WellWorks. It is interesting and very informative to see what options are out there. Through working at WellWorks, I know a lot of the great opportunities they offer and ways to get involved. It is a great place to meet really awesome people who are making a difference in the Athens community.

Day 8

I enjoyed sharing about my agency in class and hearing classmates explain theirs. This discussion was very informative and I learned a lot! Today's class was inspiring and made me aware of more ways in the community to help people in need and programs designed to improve health and lifestyle.

Day 7

I enjoyed hearing Nick from Job and Family Services talk today in class. He shared a lot of good information about his work and how they are able to help people in need in our community. My Mom also works for Job and Family Services and it has been fun sharing what I have learned with her and she has been a big help in my learning as well. 


Through watching the School Nutrition Program video I have realized how crucial children are in society and how important it is that they are healthy and receiving adequate nutrition at school. This program is a great opportunity to improve and I hope to see it continue to expand!

Day 6

Before discussing policies in class lecture, laws and regulations seemed more out of reach. It is inspiring to know that we can make a difference in our community. Through being informed and challenging for improvement we are able to take action and make changes to help others.


I enjoyed the farmers market video and it made me want to explore our local farmers market and check out the fun things Athens has to offer!

Day 5

Through researching and working on my agency assignment I am learning a lot of information that I never took the time to find out more on my own. I find the agencies very interesting and important to be aware of. I find awareness crucial in order to make a difference in our community and help people in need.

Day 4

Through our discussion in class today we learned how food insecurity is measured and statistics for this on going issue in the United States. The shocking numbers really put in perspective how many people are struggling and how it impacts drastically their overall health and lifestyle. 


I am looking forward to the agency assignment and learning about ways we can get involved. I am finding this class very interesting so far and applicable to my everyday life! 

Day 3

I enjoyed the tour of the community garden and realized it is more than I expected. Each plot is unique and taken care of in a special way. I am excited for our needs assessment project because I have never done anything like this before and I am excited to try something new. In looking at the other garden plots and how nice they look, our group has a lot of work to do, but we are up for the challenge!

Gardening

Day 2

I am excited for the needs assessment project. This will give us an opportunity to explore nutrition from the standpoint of a specific group and focus on ways to improve their diet. One of the things I am most excited about for this class is field trips and getting hands on experience. 


Class today was an eye-opening experience showing how food insecurity can cause great stress on families. The movie about food security in the Athens area really put into perspective how this is a concern within our own community that many people are unaware of. For someone who has never experienced poverty, it is hard to imagine that people struggle with these problems daily. I am looking forward to learning about ways to help others in our community. 

Day 1

Community nutrition is an important field with many new and exciting opportunities. As a communication studies major with a related area in health science, I am looking forward to learning more. I think that community nutrition is about raising awareness of healthy choices and being involved in the community in a positive, healthy way. I hope to learn how I can make a difference in communicating realistic and healthy options through out the community. I hope to learn about local foods and nutrition agencies here in Athens. Through gaining experience in this class I plan to be more qualified in health communications.

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