Nutrition program earns Purdue Extension Hancook Award
November 7, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A program that inspires child care providers to promote healthy meals and snacks, nutrition education and role modeling for children throughout Indiana has received the Purdue Cooperative Extension Specialists Association's top award.
The Hancook Award, recognizing Extension educators and specialists who jointly develop programs focusing on families, was presented Thursday (Nov. 7) during a luncheon at the annual Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference.
The RECIPE for Growing Healthy Children program, an effort between Purdue Extension and the Indiana Department of Education, implements training for child care food service staff on planning and preparing meals and snacks to comply with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The acronym of RECIPE stands for the program's six workshop sections: role models for children; an environment that encourages healthy behaviors; nutritious meals and snacks; involving children in food and fun; partnering with parents; and enjoying eating together.
Team members are: Lisa Graves, College of Health and Human Sciences Extension specialist; Barbara Mayfield, HHS continuing lecturer; and HHS educators Jan Dougan of Dubois County, Annette Lawler of Harrison County, Inger Friend of Steuben County, Teresa Witkoske of Wabash County and Christina Ferroli of Marion County.
"In just a few short years this program has shown improvement in the mealtime environment of children participating in child care programs," Angela Abbott, program leader and assistant director of Purdue Extension in HHS, wrote in a letter supporting the nomination of the team for the award. "This program is an important part of Purdue Extension's focus to deliver comprehensive, community-based health and nutrition programs."
The award is named in honor of Ann Hancook, a Purdue Extension program leader who died in 1993. Sponsors are the Indiana Extension Educators Association, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Specialists Association and the Alpha Lambda chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, the Extension honor society.
Other awards presented by the Extension Specialists Association are:
* Team Award: To MyPlate and Beyond. Members of the team are: Connie Weaver, Angie Abbott, Melissa Maulding, Lisa Graves and Donna Vandergraff of the College of Health and Human Sciences, and Gretchen Bertolet, Rob Snorek, Rebecca Stephens, Jason Thorne, Jeff Rollins, Kevin Smith, Mike Weber and Danica Kirkpatrick of the College of Agriculture.
* Special Award: Aaron Patton of the Department of Agronomy.
* Early Career Award: Shaun Casteel of the Department of Agronomy.
* Mid-Career Award: Jane Frankenberger of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
* Career Award: Craig Dobbins of the Department of Agricultural Economics.
Among other awards announced at the event, Epsilon Sigma Phi presented its Distinguished Service Awards Richard Beckort of Jackson County and Annetta Jones of Porter County, and its Continued Excellence Award to Roger Sherer of Wells County.
Writer: Jennifer Piotrowski, 765-494-8402, jpiotrow@purdue.edu
Source: Paul Ebner, 765-494-4820, mailto:pebner@purdue.edu
Related website:
Note to journalists: Photos of the award recipients will be available at http://www.ag.purdue.edu/extension/awards/.
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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