Sharing Great 5210 Ideas

The 5210 public education campaign grows and evolves as it reaches each new school and community. The message is important but each school’s and community’s support is equally critical to the program’s success. It is when we build a supportive environment that we see real change. In this section of our website you’ll find ideas from schools and programs that build and support a healthy environment for youth. Have you implemented a great 5210 idea? We’d love to hear from you! Send your success stories and photos to ynp@pamf.org.

School Garden Provides Lessons and a Farmer’s Market

Young gardeners in John Muir Elementary School’s after school gardening club harvest herbs, fruits and vegetables from their school garden plot and offer an educational display along with fresh produce to parents picking up children from after school day care. All produce is free. This is one produce market with no leftovers as students guide parents in picking items they helped grow.

Submitted by Trevor Pegg, center director, YMCA After School Program at John Muir Elementary School in San Jose, California.

Students Pick Healthy Fruits, Vegetables at On-Site Farmers Market

Students at Blackford Elementary School in Campbell, California, were busy with classroom nutrition lessons while the Food 4 Thought farm-to-school program team set up a farmers market on campus. The market provides an opportunity for students to access the colorful and tasty fruits and vegetables their classroom nutrition lessons encourage them to eat. Students also learn about economics as they spend the “school bucks” they are given. Seeing students eager to purchase purple cabbage or yellow squash right after their nutrition lesson is terrific!

Submitted by Jeremy Loader, program specialist, Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Come to Full Circle Farm’s Children’s Community Garden

Children are invited to visit a magical place in Sunnyvale, one where food sprouts right out of the ground. Full Circle Farm has dedicated a portion of the farm to teaching and engaging youth in nutrition education from the ground up. Nutrition, cooking and earth stewardship lessons come to life when they are complemented with such a hands-on experience.

Submitted by Mark Batcheler, education director, Full Circle Farm, Sunnyvale, California