Situation: Students in Grade 4 in Charles County Schools, both public and private, are required as part of the curriculum framework under Target #4, Physical Education/Health "to define and explain the function of nutrients in the growth and maintenance of the human body and demonstrate an understanding of how exercise promotes good heath".

Action: On an annual basis Charles County 4-H Program Assistants offer a Food and Nutrition Education Program in four Title I schools. During the 1996/1997 school year 219 children participated in the program and created posters which were judged for nutrition slogans and drawings to reflect good nutrition. The children received recognition in the form of ribbons: blue - excellent, red - very good, and white - satisfactory. Posters conveying excellent or very good nutrition messages were displayed at both the Maryland State Fair and the Charles County Fair.

The children were invited to visit the Charles County Fair on Fair Day to view their posters as well as other educational exhibits in 4-H. Many children from the four schools came with their families to visit the 4-H Building at the Charles County Fair so they could see their posters on display. Some of the parents had cameras with them and took pictures of the children in front of the nutrition posters. The children's posters, ribbons, and premium checks are returned to them each year at their schools in late October.

Impact: Two hundred nineteen students in four Title I schools in Charles County learned about good nutrition through a six weeks program of developmentally appropriate learning activities in their schools. As often as possible, experiential learning activities were offered, such as creating posters to express their knowledge about good nutrition. Teachers have already been in contact with the Charles County 4-H staff to request the EFNEP program for their schools during the spring of 1998.