Self Esteem Project Inc

THE SELF ESTEEM PROJECT IS A MISSION-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION THAT USES A UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM AND IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH THAT INTEGRATES ANIMATION SHOW CONTENT, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING WITH KIDS, AND RIGOROUS EVALUATION OF THE EXPERIENCE TO HELP ADVANCE AND PROMOTE HEALTHY EATING, ACTIVE LIVING, AND FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY FOR ALL.OUR STRATEGY INCLUDES STRONG PARTNERS AND PARTNERSHIPS, WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN GREATEST NEEDS AND AT GREATEST RISK, AND FACILITATES CONTENT AND IMPLEMENTATION IN A WAY THAT IS FEASIBLE AND EFFECTIVE.PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SCHOOL GARDEN PLANNING AND BUILDS, ANIMATION CONTENT BACKED WITH AGE-APPROPRIATE, PURPOSEFUL, AND TARGETED CURRICULAR MATERIALS (E.G., SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, NUTRITION AND HEALTH, AND GARDENING), AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING EXTENSIONS SUCH AS RECIPE TESTING, GAMES, AND TASTINGS! EACH MODULE FEATURES A UNIQUE ANIMATION EPISODE AND THEN A SERIES OF SESSION COMPONENTS THAT SUPPORT THE LEARNING TARGETS IN BITESIZE CHUNKS THAT ARE FUN FOR KIDS AND EASY FOR STAFF OR TEACHERS TO IMPLEMENT.WE METHODICALLY DEVELOPED, TESTED, AND RECEIVED VALIDATION RESULTS FOR OUR FIRST PROJECT, WHICH IS TO COMBAT CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND FOOD INSECURITY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. WE FIRST CREATED GADY'S GARDEN, AN ANIMATION SHOW THAT CHRONICLES THE LIVES OF SIX KIDS OF COLOR WHO SEEK TO INTRODUCE A GARDEN TO MAKE VEGETABLES AVAILABLE TO THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, WHICH FURTHER LED TO THE CREATION OF THE FIRST ANIMATION EPISODE, "LET'S PLANT A SALAD." WE THEN PARTNERED WITH PHD. NUTRITION EXPERTS AND LOCAL K-6 SCHOOLS IN GRAND RAPIDS, MI TO DEVELOP AN INTERVENTION PROTOCOL PRE AND POST VIEWING OF THE FIRST SHOW EPISODE. THE RESULTS WERE PROMISING: THERE WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF CELERY (+ 37.5%) AND ONIONS (+12.5%) FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION; AND THERE ALSO WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN WILLINGNESS TO TRY CELERY (+50%) AND ROMAINE LETTUCE (+75%) FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. AS WE SCALE THIS INTERVENTION APPROACH IN 2022-2023 WE WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE POSITIVE RESULTS THAT LEAD TO INCREASED VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION AND HEALTHY KIDS.